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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28935987">Suffer a Similar Fate</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/So_Runs_the_World_Away/pseuds/So_Runs_the_World_Away'>So_Runs_the_World_Away</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>TUA fics [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Umbrella Academy (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bisexual Diego Hargreeves, Bisexual Lila Pitts, Dead Ben Hargreeves, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Found Family, Gen, Good Lila Pitts, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs Help, Klaus and Lila would absolutely be best friends, Lila Pitts Needs A Hug, Lila Pitts Needs Help, Lila can see ghosts, Other, Pansexual Klaus Hargreeves, Spoilers for season 2 in summary, Trust Issues, basically klaus and lila work through their issues together and finally do some healing, do not interpret this in any other way, ignores s2 final cliffhanger, power speculation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:26:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>32,213</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28935987</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/So_Runs_the_World_Away/pseuds/So_Runs_the_World_Away</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a month of silence, Diego's girlfriend showed up at 2:00 in the morning on Klaus' doorstep. </p><p>"I need your help." </p><p>Klaus blinked sleepily at her, still half-asleep and more confused than fearing for his life (considering she'd tried to kill his family). Then his bleary eyes took in the way she was trembling, and the slightly manic glint in her eyes. He noticed the wailing ghosts that were following her and the way she seemed to flinch at their shouts. </p><p>("Klaus," Ben would've warned him if he were there, that reprimanding tone saved just for when he was doing something particularly stupid.) </p><p>(Ben wasn't there. He was gone.) </p><p>Klaus blinked at Lila again before pulling the door open wider and shuffling to the side. "Come in."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Hargreeves &amp; Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves/Lila Pitts, Klaus Hargreeves &amp; Lila Pitts, Klaus Hargreeves &amp; Original Character(s), The Handler &amp; Lila Pitts, Vanya Hargreeves &amp; Lila Pitts, Vanya Hargreeves/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>TUA fics [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2307521</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>169</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>450</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>One thing to note is that this is primarily a fic about healing, and is centred around Klaus and Lila. If you didn't like Lila, probably skip out on this fic.</p><p>Remember that this is just my interpretation and speculation about Lila’s powers, as well as some of the other Hargreeves’.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a month of silence, Diego's girlfriend showed up at 2:00 in the morning on Klaus' doorstep.<br/>
<br/>
"I need your help."<br/>
<br/>
Klaus blinked sleepily at her, still half-asleep and more confused than fearing for his life (considering she'd tried to kill his family). Then his bleary eyes took in the way she was trembling, and the slightly manic glint in her eyes. He noticed the wailing ghosts that were following her and the way she seemed to flinch at their shouts.<br/>
<br/>
("<em>Klaus</em>," Ben would've warned him if he were there, that reprimanding tone saved just for when he was doing something particularly stupid.)<br/>
<br/>
(Ben wasn't there. He was gone.)<br/>
<br/>
Klaus blinked at Lila again before pulling the door open wider and shuffling to the side. "Come in."<br/>
<br/>
Klaus didn't know whether he or Lila were more surprised at his easy acceptance, but she stepped into his apartment and he closed the door behind her.<br/>
<br/>
He stumbled into the living room, followed by Lila and her ghostly entourage, and made his way to the adjoining kitchen. Out of some instinctive part of his powers, Klaus suspected, the clamour of the ghosts dimmed as they walked, to a manageable level.<br/>
<br/>
"Sit," he instructed, gesturing at the couch.<br/>
<br/>
He started the kettle and located two mugs. "You here to kill me?" he yawned, throwing the question over his shoulder. “Because that would be a real damper on our relationship.”<br/>
<br/>
"You'd already be dead by now."<br/>
<br/>
"Fair enough," Klaus agreed, shrugging.<br/>
<br/>
So, this was the girlfriend Diego had spent the past month searching for. They'd met only briefly in that barn before she'd fled. She'd grown her hair out a little since then, but also seemed less put-together. Her clothes were rumpled and a few days old (Klaus knew the signs), and her hair was unkempt. Regardless, she'd thrown out that self-assured comment about her ability to kill him.<br/>
<br/>
Definitely Diego's type.<br/>
<br/>
While the microwave was going, Klaus ventured into the living room, heading to where Lila was perched uncomfortably on the edge of the couch.<br/>
<br/>
Her eyes narrowed as he neared, and when he reached out to poke her, a hand shot out to enclose his wrist in a deadly grip. Undeterred, and far too used to the same treatment from Five, Klaus used his other hand to prod at her extended arm.<br/>
<br/>
"You're freezing," he acknowledged, confirming what he'd already suspected. Shaking off her grasp, he grabbed for the blanket draped over the arm of the couch and threw it around her. "Here."</p><p>Klaus didn’t wait to see if she accepted the blanket, instead stumbling back to the kitchen as the microwave sounded. With barely a second thought, he side-stepped one of the ghosts that had followed Lila in, dragging a hand over his mouth with a yawn.</p><p>He retrieved the two mugs from the microwave and re-entered the living room, setting one down in front of Lila before seating himself opposite her, cradling his own mug.</p><p>Lila had pulled the blanket closer around her, but sat up straight, looking down at the mug with disdain and something akin to offense. “I’m not going accept some foreign drink from the brother of my parents’ killer, Klaus.”</p><p>Well, she knew his name at least. That was something. The association with her parents’ murder though, he could do without.</p><p>Klaus tiredly raised his eyebrows. “What do you think I did? Poisoned it?”</p><p>Lila’s glared intensified. “Yes. I’m not as dumb as Diego.”</p><p>That made Klaus pause, tilting his head curiously. “You poisoned my brother?”</p><p>“Drugged him.” Lila stiffened, drawing herself up tighter like she expected some sort of violent response from him.</p><p>(<em>Come on, Klaus,</em> he could practically hear Ben protesting. <em>If that’s not a red flag, I don’t know what is.</em>)</p><p>Klaus yawned. “That makes sense.”</p><p>Defensively. “Oh, yeah?”</p><p>“You can kick Diego’s ass and you outsmarted him.” Klaus counted them off on his fingers. “You’re definitely his type.”</p><p>That, at least, finally coaxed a small smile from Lila before she frowned again at the mug. “I’m still not drinking that.”</p><p>Klaus rolled his eyes and placed his own mug on the table, pushing it toward her. “I’ll swap you. It’s getting cold.”</p><p>Lila watched carefully as Klaus took her mug and brought it to his lips, taking a large gulp. She didn’t relax until she saw him swallow, finally reaching for the mug on the coffee table.</p><p>She sniffed at it and looked at him in surprise. “It’s hot chocolate.” He nodded and she scowled. “I’m not fucking seven years old.”</p><p>Klaus yawned again, before gesturing vaguely at the spirits in the room. “Being surrounded by the dead tends to make things a little chilly. Hot chocolate warms you through.”</p><p>Lila flinched at the mention of the ghosts but sipped at the hot chocolate hesitantly. “You know why I’m here then?”</p><p>Klaus let his eyes wander over the ghosts filling the room. Under his attention, their volume grew, rising above the unpleasant backing track of screaming and wailing to the level it had been at before entering his apartment.</p><p>
  <em>Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila. </em>
</p><p>A nice switch-up in pace really. He was beginning to think the dead could only manage his name.</p><p>“I didn’t think you’d picked up my power,” Klaus offered honestly. “Sorry.”</p><p>(<em>Don’t </em>apologise <em>to her, Klaus! </em>Ben’s voice pleaded in his head. <em>Get out! Get help!</em>)</p><p>Lila scowled down at her mug. “Why are you sorry? I’m the one who tried to steal your power without knowing anything about it.”</p><p>“And now you can’t shut it off,” Klaus acknowledged. “They don’t ever shut up. They don’t even understand what’s happening anymore. Just a bunch of screaming corpses. And all they know is you.”</p><p>Lila tried to hide the slight trembling of her hands by lowering her mug to rest on her knee. “Can you- can you help?”</p><p>Klaus paused before setting his mug down and stretching languidly. He hadn’t done much with his powers lately. Ever since Ben had…</p><p><em>Died</em>, Klaus firmly reminded himself. <em>Again</em>.</p><p>He couldn’t live in pretence about it. His siblings had been tiptoeing around him about Ben’s second death, and they hadn’t pushed him to train. Klaus barely bothered to banish spirits anymore, preferring their incessant wailing to the quiet of his apartment, empty of Ben’s previous constant presence.</p><p>None of his siblings had even asked him to use his powers lately. But studying the woman sitting across from with the dark, uncertain eyes, who was clearly holding herself together through only a determination and grit that reminded Klaus of himself on the streets, he found he didn’t mind.</p><p>Klaus closed his eyes and reached out, letting that blue light envelop his hands and that coldness sweep through him. He focused his attention on the ghosts that had followed Lila in, grasping them firmly in his mind. He opened his eyes to smile at them, holding out his left palm.</p><p>“Goodbye.” With a push, most of them were gone.</p><p>Lila stared at him with wide eyes for a few seconds before she frowned, tilting her head and watching him intensely. After a moment, her hands flickered blue, but for only a second before they were back to normal.</p><p>“It’s not a different power,” Klaus offered when she scowled at her failure. “They’re all one and the same. Don’t think you can steal what you already have.”</p><p>Lila deflated, pulling the blanket closer around her, staring down at her lap.</p><p>“It’s not a permanent fix,” Klaus informed her. “I can keep them away until I fall asleep, but that’s when they tend to come back. Some ghosts just can’t take a hint.”</p><p>Lila scoffed softly, glaring at her mug. “Yeah, no shit.”</p><p>“You can take the couch.” Klaus stood, downing the rest of his hot chocolate. “I think it pulls out. But only if you promise not to murder me in my sleep.”</p><p>(<em>Please tell me you’re not inviting her to stay for the night. </em>Klaus.)</p><p>Lila looked up at that, raising an eyebrow at him. “And what about in the morning?”</p><p>Klaus shrugged and winked at her. “We’ll get there when we get there.”</p><p>She smiled.</p><p>He stumbled in the direction of his bedroom, snagging his headphones and Walkman from his bedside table. Re-entering the living room, he offered them to Lila.</p><p>“Music helps to block them out. Especially if you’re having trouble sleeping.”</p><p>Klaus had noticed the dark bags under her eyes. He knew better than anyone how the screams of the dead could keep you awake at night, and how foggy it made your head feel, operating on such little sleep.</p><p>A wave of his GOODBYE hand. “Night Lila.”</p><p>He didn’t hear a response as he exited the room, still exhausted and clambered into bed.</p><p>He could deal with this in the morning.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Klaus paused in the doorway to his bedroom, squeezing his eyes shut before opening them again. The mound of blankets on his couch didn’t disappear.</p><p>“Huh,” Klaus mused. “So, that wasn’t a dream.” He instinctively glanced toward his left, his eyes reflexively seeking Ben before he remembered.</p><p>Dead. Right.</p><p>Klaus stretched before stumbling into the kitchen to start the kettle and begin making breakfast.</p><p>So, Diego’s girlfriend was here. In his apartment.</p><p>Diego had been searching for her ever since she’d fled. He was occasionally gone for entire days at a time, checking out some lead or another, but always circling back to them, to check in and spend time with their broken and healing family.</p><p>All of Diego’s leads, however, had turned up empty. Five had even allowed Diego a few highly supervised trips with the briefcase, but they’d never even come close to her.</p><p>And yet here she was, in his living room, of all places.</p><p>Klaus should call Diego. He knew he should.</p><p>But he couldn’t bring himself to.</p><p>They’d shattered Lila’s world in that barn, upheaved everything she thought true. She’d run for a reason and it was clear that she hadn’t wanted to stick around with them for family bonding. Klaus couldn’t begrudge her that. He didn’t actually know how long it had been for her, but she was allowed time to process things.</p><p>On the other hand, his family had a strict new rule about keeping secrets: <em>don’t. </em></p><p>Which, Klaus reasoned, was fair enough. Secrets got them Vanya quietly losing her powers when she was four years old, and being reduced to ordinariness. It got them Vanya, growing up, believing she wasn’t special, until it hurt so bad that she wrote a book with all of the Academy’s dirtiest secrets. It got them Vanya realising her life was a lie and it got them an exploded moon and at least two apocalypses.</p><p>He’d have to tell them eventually, Klaus concluded. But he’d leave it for now. Who knows? Lila could leave within the day and he’d be free to tell his family without infringing on her comfort.</p><p>“Do you think she’s one of those heathens like Five that have their coffee black?” Klaus pondered aloud, his ears straining for a response that would never come.</p><p>Except-</p><p>“Do you usually talk to yourself?”</p><p>Klaus yelped, dropping a teaspoon to the floor. He turned to face Lila, recovering quickly and throwing an arm out in a vague gesture at the room. “Not to myself, dear. To the dead.”</p><p>Lila was unimpressed. “Funny, because I don’t see any of these lot responding.”</p><p>Klaus took a moment to blink at the four wailing ghosts in the kitchen, clearly far from any shred of sanity, before refocusing on Lila. “Huh.” He tilted his head at her appraisingly. “That would’ve worked for any of my siblings.”</p><p>Lila rolled her eyes, sitting on a stool near the counter and stretching. “When<em> are</em> the Brady Bunch getting here? I doubt they’ll be pleased to see me, and I’d like some notice before they try to kill me.”</p><p>Contrary to last night, this morning Lila was all smirks. There was a self-assuredness in the way that she propped her feet up on the other chair, leaning against the wall. Her posture was straighter, and although she was wearing the same clothes as the night before, something about the way she idly played with a thread on her sleeve, paying him no mind, oozed confidence.</p><p>Klaus waggled a finger at her. “No murder before breakfast, capiche?” She rolled her eyes. “And I haven’t told them.”</p><p>(He could practically hear Ben’s groan and reprimand for giving away that none of his family would know where to start if he turned up dead.)</p><p>Lila scoffed, not bothering to look up. “Yeah, right.”</p><p>“We’re not exactly the poster family for communication,” Klaus pointed out, waving his hands in emphasis. “I’m 90% sure that if anyone in this family sat down to talk shit out, we could’ve avoided like two apocalypses.”</p><p>Lila frowned and there was open confusion on her face for a moment. “But Mom said…” she trailed off, her expression being schooled back into that lazy half-smile.</p><p>Her mother, the Handler. The woman who’d used and lied to Lila her whole life. <strike>Klaus knew the feeling.</strike></p><p>“She was wrong about that, at least,” Klaus offered gently. “We’re the most dysfunctional family you’ll ever meet. Five messed up time-travel and got stuck in the apocalypse when we were thirteen, and when the rest of us were eighteen, we all went our separate ways. This is the first time we’ve been attempting regular communication in like thirteen years.”</p><p>Lila blinked. “That <em>is </em>pretty messed up.”</p><p>Klaus hummed in agreement before depositing a mug in front of her. “How do you like your coffee?”</p><p>Lila eyed the drink warily. “I’m warning you, if it is drugged or poisoned, I will have enough time to kill you before it takes me down.”</p><p>Klaus raised his hands in surrender but grimaced when Lila hesitantly sipped at the coffee, black, no sugar. “You’re a heathen,” Klaus concluded.</p><p>He spun away from her, dancing over to the toaster. “I don’t actually know how to cook,” Klaus admitted, with a wave of the hand at the various shiny, fancy kitchen appliances decorating the kitchen. “But I made Pop-Tarts.”</p><p>Klaus set a generous plate of Pop-Tarts on the counter between them (he wasn’t sure when she’d last eaten) and snagged a chocolate one for himself.</p><p>Lila promptly snatched the Pop-Tart from his hand, sniffing it suspiciously before taking a bite.</p><p>“Jesus!” Klaus protested. “I told you, <em>I’m not going to fucking poison you</em>.”</p><p>“And <em>I</em> told <em>you</em>, I’m not as dumb as Diego,” Lila countered.</p><p>“Okay.” Klaus nodded to himself. “We can get over this.”</p><p>Slowly, so she didn’t take his movement as aggressive, Klaus reached for the plate between them. Carefully, Klaus broke each Pop-Tart in half, pushing one half toward Lila and one half toward himself.</p><p>“I eat, you eat,” Klaus negotiated. “It’s not poisoned, but if it was, I’d drop dead first. Okay?”</p><p>Klaus reached for a blueberry Pop-Tart and Lila mirrored his actions. After carefully watching Klaus take a bite and swallow, she seemed willing to do the same.</p><p>“I’m not going to hurt you,” Klaus promised with only a hint of exasperation. “You’re the one who came here. You could probably kill me without lifting a finger.”</p><p>(<em>What a fantastic idea, Klaus</em>, Ben snarked. <em>Remind her of her world-ending powers.</em>)</p><p>But Lila jerkily nodded and relaxed incrementally.</p><p>“I have work today,” Klaus informed her, snagging another Pop-Tart. “I can get rid of as many of the nastier ghosts as I can before going – you know, without passing out –  but it’s probably best if you don’t come to the coffee shop. Five tends to show throughout the day, and you don’t want to catch him before he gets his coffee.”</p><p>Lila scowled at the mention of Five, and Klaus immediately winced. <em>Stupid</em>. He’d forgotten their entire altercation with Lila was because of her grudge against Five. Because his time-travelling, assassin little brother had killed her parents.</p><p>Klaus assumed that Lila didn’t want to actually kill his brother. Not actively, at least, because they hadn’t heard anything from Five about seeing her. But it was still careless of Klaus to bring him up like that (he could practically hear Ben chastising him).</p><p>“You can stick around here if you want,” Klaus offered, in an attempt at a recovery. “But please don’t destroy the place, I don’t wanna have to explain that to my family. You’re welcome to anything in the kitchen, <em>including</em> the appliances – I’m dead serious here, Lila, if you wanted to steal that blender, my siblings might get off my back about eating healthier.”</p><p>That lessened Lila’s scowl, and Klaus reached for another Pop-Tart half.</p><p>“I get off at two,” Klaus informed her.</p><p>That would give Lila plenty of time to ransack his apartment for any money or food that she wanted (he would be sure to leave his money somewhere obvious) and make her escape, unnoticed, if she so pleased. Klaus wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if he returned to an empty apartment.</p><p>They ate in silence for a few minutes more before Klaus glanced at the clock (a hideous thing, really, with plain, bold numbers against a white face) and decided it was time to head off.</p><p>Despite being full, he stuffed the last half Pop-Tart in his mouth, to hopefully assure Lila of her safety in eating all the Pop-Tarts, and wandered toward his bedroom.</p><p>He paired a simple black skirt with a white dress shirt, twirling absentmindedly in the mirror. “What do you think, Benny?”</p><p>Nothing but silence greeted him. (That was okay. Klaus was getting used to the painful ache in his chest everything that happened.)</p><p>Instead, Klaus carefully applied his eyeliner and a dark red lipstick, removed all the money from his wallet to place in his bedside drawer, and snagged his small backpack from the floor.</p><p>Lila was still in the kitchen when Klaus exited, picking at a Pop-Tart, so he twirled, spreading his arms. “Opinions?”</p><p>Lila’s expression softened as she looked him over, and for the first time, Klaus didn’t feel like she was waiting for him to attack her, or was readying to attack him. The gentleness quickly faded, but Lila’s smile didn’t.</p><p>“Suits you,” she offered, tilting her head.</p><p>“Danke!” Klaus beamed at her. He pulled on his boots before heading for the door. “Remember Lila – the blender. It <em>has</em> to go before I get forced into another one of those disgusting health smoothies.”</p><p>Klaus took a moment to breathe in deeply before focusing on the ghosts surrounding Lila, a blue glow lighting up his hands before he <em>pushed</em> at them, and they disappeared.</p><p>He smiled at his success, ignoring the drain on his energy. “Bye Lila!”</p><p>Klaus flicked the lock into place before closing the door behind him, but didn’t bother with the deadlock, not wanting Lila to feel like he was trying to trap her. (Far from it. Klaus knew she’d picked up Five’s powers. No lock could pose a significant obstacle to her.)</p><p>The small coffee shop that Klaus had grown to love was just two blocks away. It had been Vanya’s suggestion that he get a job, something to occupy himself with, even if they could all live comfortably off their dearly departed father’s money. And after he'd done little but lay around his new apartment for two weeks, a job had been chosen for him.</p><p>The apartment, on the other hand, had been Allison’s idea. Vanya, Luther and Five had all moved back into the Academy, out of convenience more than anything else. Allison spent alternating weeks in LA and at the Academy, still working on gaining visitation rights with Claire. Klaus, on the other hand, had declared he’d rather go back to the streets than continue to live in that shithole, and he’d meant it. Though Diego was often away, searching for Lila, he’d agreed, preferring his boiler room of a home to the Academy and the years of trauma they’d suffered there.</p><p>The apartment had been a compromise. Allison had set it up for him, overseeing the decoration and furnishing herself. And Klaus spent his days somewhere that wasn’t the back of an alleyway or a rehab centre.</p><p>Klaus didn’t like the apartment. He didn’t like its classy, modern design, or all the fancy kitchen appliances or even the stylish blue and grey quilt on his bed.</p><p>He didn’t tell them that.</p><p>His family were doing great. Vanya was creating some happy memories in the Academy, Luther was learning to live as a capable member of society, Five was working with Vanya to train her powers. Every Sunday, they’d have dinner together, like a normal, functional family.</p><p>They were doing great. <strike>Klaus wasn’t.</strike></p><p>Only two other people were working when Klaus slipped into Carla’s Coffees, calling a cheery greeting before disappearing into the staffroom to drop off his bag and put on his apron. Carla, a warm yet brisk woman who took no shit from anyone and was also the owner of the business, and Sasha, her nibling, a sarcastic, though well-meaning person that Klaus had taken to immediately.</p><p>Sasha caught Klaus’ arm the second he exited the staffroom. “The demon-child is back,” they informed him dryly, as if Klaus couldn’t already tell by the commotion of the spirits. “He’s been waiting for you.”</p><p>Sure enough, Five appeared (not literally – he didn’t use his powers in public that much) on the other side of the counter as Klaus approached.</p><p>“You’re late,” Five informed him, scowling.</p><p>“Only by two minutes.”</p><p>Five’s scowl deepened. “That’s enough time for you to be murdered in some back alley somewhere.”</p><p>(Klaus chose not to mention how that was more likely to occur in his apartment than outside it, considering recent events.)</p><p>“Aww.” Klaus placed a hand against his heart. “You were worried!”</p><p>Five scoffed, looking away. “Hardly. I need you to make my coffee.”</p><p>“Sasha could do that,” Klaus felt the need to point out.</p><p>“I have no proof that they won’t poison me.”</p><p>Klaus rolled his eyes. People nowadays were so untrusting. (Klaus was perfectly aware that Five had run a background check on both Carla and Sasha and turned up nothing to suggest they were considering adding murder to their repertoires.)</p><p>“It is tempting,” Sasha whispered in his ear as they passed. Five caught it though and glared at their back.</p><p>“Okay, no riling up the little man before he gets his coffee,” Klaus called to Sasha, waving off the smirk they threw over their shoulder in response before starting on Five’s coffee.</p><p>“So, why are you late?”</p><p>“Jesus, Five.” Klaus’ tone was a mixture of affection and exasperation. “Everything’s fine. Sometimes people are a few minutes late, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been murdered or that there’s some conspiracy going on, okay? I’m going good. How’s Vanya’s training going?”</p><p>Five’s glare lessened. “Good. She’s getting a lot more precise in her control.”</p><p>“That’s fantastic!” Klaus clapped his hands together. “Can’t wait to see that whenever I see her next.”</p><p>“Sunday evening,” Five stated sternly. “Same as every other week.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.” Klaus waved him off as he placed a lid on his coffee cup, pushing it forward. “Here’s your disgusting, sugarless coffee, you heathen. Don’t kill anyone.”</p><p>Five grabbed the coffee and headed for the other end of the coffee shop, rounding the corner near the bathroom moments before a flash of blue briefly lit the hallway.</p><p>“I don’t know how you deal with him.” Sasha shook their head. “If he was my brother, I would’ve killed him by now.”</p><p>Klaus grinned at them, beginning to wipe down the counter. “Oh, we’ve all had the urge, believe me.”</p><p>(He didn’t notice the figure on the roof of the store opposite the coffee shop, watching him, before it too disappeared in a flash of blue light.)</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Klaus did not return to an empty apartment.</p><p>“Huh.” He blinked. “You’re still here.”</p><p>Lila was lounging on his couch but shot him a glare. “Hoping otherwise?”</p><p>“More like, expecting,” Klaus admitted.</p><p>He dropped his backpack on the floor and sank into the couch opposite Lila. “So, what do you want from me?”</p><p>Lila waved a hand in the general direction of the kitchen. “They came back after a few hours.”</p><p>
  <em>Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila. </em>
</p><p>Klaus frowned at the ghosts. He was too tired to banish them all – it’d been a long day at work, and he’d already pushed them away this morning, so the exhaustion was starting to pull at him. Regardless, he tugged at that coldness that had settled under his skin long ago, letting it wash over him and a faint blue light engulf his hands. With a wave of his GOODBYE hand, three of the loudest ghosts were slammed backwards, through the wall, to God knows where.</p><p>“That’s all I can do right now,” Klaus said apologetically. “I’m kinda tired.”</p><p>Lila swung her legs off the couch to sit facing him. She gestured to where the ghosts had previously been. “That’s what I want from you. I want you to teach me how to do that.”</p><p>Klaus’ jaw dropped. “You-? I can’t-? You realise I barely have a handle on this, right?”</p><p>Lila shrugged (and didn’t she seem a whole lot better after a good night’s sleep and some temporary peace from the dead?). “Doesn’t matter. Whatever you’ve got is better than what I have. I can’t deal with ghosts screaming in my ears 24/7.”</p><p>That… was a valid point. Klaus wouldn’t want to subject anyone to that. He knew how badly it messed <em>him</em> up.</p><p>Klaus hesitated. He thought of the years he’d spent on the streets, high or drunk out of his mind because he couldn’t deal with his powers. He remembered all the overdoses in alleyways, waking up in ambulances, the fact that he knew an EMT by first-name basis at this point and the workers at the rehab centre who were more familiar with him than his own family at times.</p><p>But… he also thought of the child he’d once been, terrified at the mangled corpses that followed him around, screaming for his help. He remembered how alone he’d felt, none of his siblings understanding how his powers worked or why he was too weak to use them.</p><p>He wouldn’t wish that on Lila. Never.</p><p>“I can’t make any promises,” Klaus said, finally meeting her eyes. “I don’t know how to teach you, I’ve only been able to kind of control my powers for a few years now. But I swear, I’ll do my best to help you.”</p><p>(He could almost hear Ben’s sigh, partly amused annoyance, partly begrudging understanding, as he offered to empower the one person who could kill his family.)</p><p>Lila was smiling, a kind of nervous, uncertain but pleased upward turn of the lips.</p><p>“I’ll need to understand how your powers work too,” Klaus pointed out. “Are you comfortable with that?”</p><p>Lila hesitated, doubt flashing in her eyes, before she nodded. “Not like you can do much with the information.”</p><p>“Okay.” There’d been an idea playing at the back of his mind, an idle curiosity that could actually be useful. “Lila, can you use more than one power at once?”</p><p>The half-smile on Lila’s lips disappeared and she shook her head, watching him with dark eyes.</p><p>“So, when you use one of the others’ powers, do you see the ghosts?” Klaus queried. He rushed to continue. “Obviously, don’t try Vanya’s power right now, I like my apartment not blown up. But could you like, rumour me to pick up that cushion?”</p><p>The guarded look in Lila’s gaze faded as she too considered the possibility. “<em>I heard a rumour </em>that you picked up that cushion.”</p><p>Klaus felt himself go slack, his muscles moving involuntarily to reach for and grasp the cushion. He shook his head vigorously once he had control again.</p><p><em>Damn</em> those words had sounded strange not coming from his sister’s mouth.</p><p>“Did it work?” he asked eagerly. “Did they disappear?”</p><p>Lila nodded slowly. “Yes… but I can’t exactly go around rumouring people all the time.”</p><p>Klaus nodded, still deliberating. “Did you… did you pick up Diego’s power?”</p><p>Lila nodded more quickly this time and Klaus grinned, standing and rushing down the hallway to snatch a knife from his bedroom. He reapproached Lila, setting it on the coffee table between them.</p><p>“I stole it off Diego,” Klaus admitted. “One of his fancy knives for bending. Obviously, it’s still not exactly subtle, but if you could just focus on moving the knife, instead of the ghosts?”</p><p>(<em>You even brought her your own murder weapon</em>, Ben snarked in his head. <em>Don’t do all the work for her, Klaus</em>.)</p><p>Lila reached for the knife hesitantly. She lightly tossed it into the air and then suddenly it was dancing, swishing through the air in a lazy figure eight, traced by the movement of Lila’s hand.</p><p>“They quiet?” Klaus asked gently.</p><p>Lila kept her eyes fixated on the knife. “Yep.”</p><p>Klaus clapped his hands together in excitement. “This is good! Until you have my powers under control, you have other ways to deal with the ghosts.”</p><p>Lila sighed, and suddenly the knife clattered to the floor. “How the hell do you deal with this?”</p><p>Klaus blinked. “Well, it’s different for you. I’ve been dealing, or deliberately <em>not</em> dealing with this for my whole life.”</p><p>“Even when you were a kid?”</p><p>“As long as I can remember.”</p><p>“Fuck,” Lila breathed. “How the hell are you still sane?”</p><p>Klaus shrugged. “Honestly? Alcohol. And drugs. I got hooked as a teenager – it makes the ghosts quiet. I can’t see them when I’m high.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Really.” Klaus pulled himself out of his thoughts to waggle a finger at her. “But, no. You’re not going down that route, young lady. It’s a temporary solution to a more permanent problem.”</p><p>Lila rolled her eyes but grinned at him. “Sure thing, Klaus.”</p><p>Klaus liked her smile – there was a lazy, self-assured quality to it that suited her.</p><p>“We should also establish some things,” Klaus stated, sitting up straighter. “I have work from 10-2 on weekdays. I don’t have any problem with you staying here, if you want to, and money shouldn’t be a problem. While I’m at work, I don’t really care what you do, but <em>please</em> don’t murder any of my siblings. I don’t need another dead sibling following me around and criticising my life choices for all eternity.”</p><p>Lila cocked an eyebrow at that last sentence but nodded. “If Five comes near me, I can’t make any promises. He killed my parents.”</p><p>Klaus winced and nodded. “Fair enough, but don’t seek him out.” He hesitated. “For what it’s worth, Diego didn’t know about what Five did. None of us did.”</p><p>Lila hesitated before nodding, and Klaus hurried onward.</p><p>“On that uncomfortable subject – I have to tell my family.” A sour look came over Lila’s face and he rushed to continue talking. “I’ll make sure they stay away and you don’t even have to see them. But Diego’s going insane searching for you and he’s driving the rest of us up the walls. I think he’d like to know you’re safe.”</p><p>Lila’s bitter expression faded to a kind of hesitant curiosity. “He’s really looking for me?”</p><p>Klaus laughed softly. “Lila, he’s kind of crazy about you.”</p><p>Lila smiled, bashful but gratified. (Oh yeah, Diego’s feelings were <em>definitely</em> reciprocated, Klaus concluded.)</p><p>“So, is that okay?” Klaus pressed after a moment.</p><p>“As long as you can keep them away,” Lila agreed.</p><p>“They’ve got like a shit-ton of ghosts following them anyway,” Klaus rationalised. “It’s probably not great for them to be around you.”</p><p>Lila nodded firmly in agreement. “No thanks.”</p><p>“I think that’s it,” Klaus concluded. He pulled off his boots to slump back onto the couch, curling into himself and shooting Lila a pleading look. “Would you be a dear and make me tea? Please?”</p><p>(He held an abstract hope that by showing he trusted her, she’d begin to return the trust.)</p><p>Lila rolled her eyes, but stood. “Fine, lazy.”</p><p>Klaus readjusted himself so he could see her moving around the kitchen, starting the kettle. “Tea’s in the-” he cut himself off as Lila reached for the correct canister without hesitation. “Never mind, of course you know.”</p><p>His eyes lazily landed on the blender. “Lilaaa! I told you to get rid of that thing!”</p><p>Lila let out a short laugh.</p><p>“You know your boyfriend has like a ridiculous thing about healthy food, right?” Klaus pointed out, noticing the way Lila tensed at the word <em>boyfriend</em> before relaxing and smiling slightly. “He’s the whole ‘my body is a temple’ type.”</p><p>Lila winked at him. “Well, it pays off. Have you <em>seen</em> his body?”</p><p>“<em>Gross</em>,” Klaus complained, waving her off. “I don’t need to be thinking these things about my own <em>brother</em>.”</p><p>The kettle finished boiling and Klaus watched languidly as Lila poured the water into his mug.</p><p>“Be a dear and add a teaspoon of sugar please,” Klaus requested, rolling back onto the couch to stare at the ceiling.</p><p>A few seconds later, Lila neared him to place the mug on the coffee table.</p><p>“Thank you!” Klaus reached for the mug, cradling its warmth in his hands before taking a sip.</p><p>He immediately spat it out, his head jerking to glare at Lila. “What the hell? I said, <em>sugar</em> not salt!”</p><p>Lila smiled at him sweetly. “Then make your own tea, asshole.”</p><p>Diego, Klaus decided, had <em>excellent </em>taste in women.</p><p>(He could almost hear Ben’s laughter.)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know a lot of people don’t like Lila, but I really enjoyed her character. Yeah, she’s a bit overpowered, but we’ve definitely seen similar powers in other movies and books before and nobody has complained about them? They were also pretty evenly matched still – she only beat Allison because she got the drop on her, same with Vanya, and Five was already exhausted. </p><p>Updates will be every 4 days (:</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few hours later, when the two were full of Chinese take-out (at Klaus’ suggestion and Lila’s agreement), and the number of ghosts in the apartment had significantly increased, Klaus sat opposite Lila on the floor of the living room.</p>
<p>“This feels dumb,” Lila complained, cross-legged just like Klaus.</p>
<p>“Sorry!” Klaus called. “Can’t hear you over this racket!”</p>
<p>
  <em>Klaus, Klaus, Lila, Lila, Lila, Klaus, Lila, Lila, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Lila. </em>
</p>
<p>Lila glared at him, twirling Diego’s knife around her fingers. Klaus’ eyes flickered toward it before he offered Lila a breezy smile at the unsubtle threat. Dainty as the knife was, between Diego’s powers and Five’s creativity, Klaus had learned growing up that such an instrument was nothing to be underestimated.</p>
<p>“Can’t you send some of them away before we start?” Lila grumbled. One of the ghosts let out a particularly loud scream and she startled, her entire form flickering out of existence for a moment – Five’s power, he assumed.</p>
<p>“Absolutely not,” Klaus disagreed, choosing carefully to ignore that. “I need to have my energy to use my powers in case yours go wrong.”</p>
<p>Lila stilled, the knife coming to a stop. “And what the fuck do you mean by that?”</p>
<p>“A <em>couple</em> times, I’ve<em> accidentally</em> manifested the ghosts instead of banishing them,” Klaus admitted, trying not to think of cold dark mausoleums and icy hands that never stopped clawing and pulling and ripping.</p>
<p>“You’re telling me this now?”</p>
<p>“Just a couple times!” Klaus defended himself. “Look, you need to learn control <em>regardless</em>, even if that does happen, you’ll be learning to interact with my powers anyway!”</p>
<p>Lila breathed in deeply before slowly exhaling.</p>
<p>
  <em>Lila, Klaus, Lila, Lila, Lila, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Lila, Lila. </em>
</p>
<p>“Use Diego’s power while I explain,” Klaus suggested, nodding at the knife. “I’d kinda prefer you pay attention without the dead screaming in your ears anyway.”</p>
<p>Lila threw the knife lightly into the air and seemed to visibly relax as it began moving through the air and the ghosts presumably disappeared.</p>
<p>“The ghosts make you feel cold, right?” Klaus began. He’d never had to explain his powers to someone before – it felt strange. “There’s this horrible ice that never leaves you that just settles under your skin.”</p>
<p>Lila nodded, grimacing.</p>
<p>“Don’t do it yet, but the first step to using our powers is that. You have to <em>give into</em> that coldness and just let it wash over you.” Klaus hesitated. “This is where it can go wrong. You <em>have</em> to remain in control – because all these spirits here? They’re your ghost bitches. But if you lose focus, it’s <em>very </em>easy for the ghosts to latch on, and then they become real.”</p>
<p>Klaus noticed the uncertainty in Lila’s eyes. “But don’t worry! It’s easy to let go. The important thing is directing that power. You should be able to <em>feel</em> the ghosts. You need to imagine what you want it to do and follow through. Like, if you want to blast a spirit to Australia, play it out in your head and fucking do it!”</p>
<p>Klaus quietened to watch Lila more seriously. “Remember, these are<em> your</em> powers now. <em>You</em> control them. They’ll respond to what you want. The ghosts don’t control you, alright? You control them. My powers often react to my emotions – if I panic, it’s really hard to control them. But if I stay calm, it’s much easier.”</p>
<p>He smiled gently at Lila. “Do you want to give it a go? Start small. Concentrate on one ghost.”</p>
<p>Lila nodded, a determination igniting in her eyes as the knife dropped to the ground.</p>
<p>Klaus let that iciness spread through him, his hands lighting up blue as he released a sliver of his power, reaching out to gently grasp the ghosts surrounding them. He didn’t try anything else, just readying himself.</p>
<p>
  <em>Lila, Klaus, Lila, KLAUS, KLAUS, KLAUS, KLAUS, KLAUS, KLAUS, KLAUS.</em>
</p>
<p>“You’ve got this,” Klaus reassured even as the volume of the ghosts increased. “Can you focus on that weird cold feeling?”</p>
<p>Lila nodded sharply, eyes squeezed shut. Her hands took on a subtle blue glow.</p>
<p>
  <em>LILA, LILA, LILA, KLAUS, LILA, KLAUS, KLAUS, LILA, LILA.</em>
</p>
<p>“That’s it,” Klaus soothed. “Don’t open your eyes just yet. See if you can reach out with your mind. The ghosts will feel strange… cold and weird. Can you feel them?”</p>
<p>“Yes.” The terse response came through gritted teeth.</p>
<p>“Focus on one,” Klaus suggested. “Just one. I need you to stay calm, no matter what, okay? I can handle whatever happens as long as you stay calm and don’t lose control. There’s one directly on your right – can you focus on them?”</p>
<p>Klaus also focused on the ghost beside Lila, but kept his eyes open, carefully watching it. He noticed the exact moment it became corporeal, its screams becoming more distinguishable from the crowd and a flailing hand knocking a remote off the table. Within seconds, Klaus shoved his <strong>GOODBYE</strong> hand at it and the ghost flew backwards, through the wall and far, far away.</p>
<p>His attention was quickly diverted to Lila, who had tensed, freezing up.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry!” Klaus burst out. “I’ve got it. He’s gone now.” Klaus watched as Lila slowly relaxed and was relieved that she hadn’t freaked out and accidentally manifested all the spirits.</p>
<p>“See?” he said more gently, teasing. “Told you I’ve got this. You don’t need to worry.”</p>
<p>A small smile crept across Lila’s face and she nodded her assent, her eyes still closed.</p>
<p>“Just stay calm,” Klaus reiterated. “Which ghost do you want to try next?”</p>
<p>“The one in the doorway.”</p>
<p>“Okay. I’ve got her if you want to try now.”</p>
<p>Lila didn’t manage to banish the second ghost. Klaus did, after it became corporeal and immediately lunged for them. She didn’t succeed with the third ghost either, once again manifesting it for Klaus to send away. But she succeeded with the fourth.</p>
<p>Klaus barely refrained from hugging her, suspecting it would end with him being stabbed, and instead settled for beaming at her. “You did it! Fantastic, Lila!”</p>
<p>Lila smiled at him, that lazy half-smirk. “Let’s try again.”</p>
<p>Lila didn’t succeed with the fifth. Or the sixth. She did with the seventh though. And the eighth. But not the ninth.</p>
<p>“I think that’s enough for today,” Klaus declared.</p>
<p>“What?” Lila opened her eyes to stare at him accusingly. “We’ve only been going for an hour.”</p>
<p>“Exactly.” Klaus nodded wisely. “We’ve been going a whole hour. This is your first time using my powers, and you’re probably starting to get tired. I’m not daddy dearest – we’re not working until you collapse.”</p>
<p>Lila looked ready to protest but faltered at the mention of his father. She seemed to contemplate something for a second before speaking. “Your father – did he train you too? Like my Mom did?”</p>
<p>Klaus nodded. “Yeah. We were his little child soldiers. I knew how to gouge out a man’s eyes by the time I was ten.”</p>
<p>Lila scoffed. “That old?” Her joke fell flat on her own tongue.</p>
<p>(<em>This is the moment Klaus</em>, a voice that sounded like Ben’s urged in his head. <em>You can get through to her. Bring up the Handler.)</em></p>
<p>“It wasn’t right,” Klaus said hesitantly, knowing the gravity of their conversation. “Teaching children to fight, to kill. Putting us in danger’s way. Exploiting us for our powers-”</p>
<p>“Enough,” Lila cut in. Her face was drawn tightly and she didn’t meet his eyes. “I know what you’re getting at. Just- not tonight. I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Klaus agreed softly. Ben would’ve known what to say there. He would’ve known how to get through to her, or even just comfort her.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, he wasn’t Ben.</p>
<p>Klaus didn’t have the strength to banish all the ghosts, but he reached out to the loudest, most restless ones, who were shrieking Lila’s name after her show of power.</p>
<p>
  <em>LILA, LILA, LILA, KLAUS, LILA, LILA, KLAUS.</em>
</p>
<p><strong>GOODBYE</strong>, he waved, and they disappeared. Klaus stood, heading to the kitchen to start the kettle. He didn’t want to intrude on whatever Lila was processing.</p>
<p>When he returned, Klaus eased a mug of hot chocolate into Lila’s hands and draped a blanket over her shoulders.</p>
<p>“The cold might be worse than usual for a few hours,” Klaus explained gently.</p>
<p>Lila stared down at the mug in her hands.</p>
<p>“Hot chocolate,” Klaus informed her. “With sugar, not salt, even if you’d absolutely deserve it.”</p>
<p>Lila smiled ever so slightly at that and Klaus deliberately averted his eyes when she hesitantly brought the drink to her lips and sipped at it.</p>
<p>She didn’t accuse him of poisoning her. Or refuse it entirely. Klaus decided this was progress. Pitiful progress, he was sure, in comparison to what any other of his siblings could’ve achieved, but progress nonetheless.</p>
<p>“What do we do for the rest of the night then?” Lila asked after a moment.</p>
<p>Klaus brightened. “You won’t <em>believe</em> the number of dumb stories I have about Diego.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Would you mind leaving the apartment for a few hours? I get the feeling that the second I tell them about you, Five will teleport over here before I can explain.”</p>
<p>Lila smirked at him from where she was reclining on the couch. “Why? Afraid I’ll hurt the little man?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Klaus stated bluntly. “I’m also afraid he’ll hurt you. And I prefer both of you unharmed and in two separate pieces.”</p>
<p>Lila blinked at him slowly before a strange look came briefly across her face. “I’ll leave when you do, and come back by tomorrow morning,” she said after a moment. “But you need to make sure he’s not there when I do.”</p>
<p>“Deal,” Klaus agreed. He tugged at the hem of his white shirt. “What do you think?”</p>
<p>Lila’s eyes ran over him appraisingly, taking in his open shirt and navy pants. “You need another necklace.”</p>
<p>Klaus’ hand came up to touch the dog tags dangling against his chest, gripping it tightly. “What do you mean?”</p>
<p>Lila swung her legs off the couch to stand, breezing past Klaus to his bedroom. Without faltering, Lila reached for the box Klaus kept in his closet, setting it on the bed and sifting through it. (Klaus had long since accepted that Lila had memorised every inch of the apartment.)</p>
<p>“Here.” Lila held up two small necklaces, simple things with silver chains and pendants.  </p>
<p>“I-” Klaus faltered, not letting go of Dave’s dog tags. “Lila-”</p>
<p>“Let me.” Lila brushed his hair out of the way, carefully winding the necklaces around his neck and fastening them. She turned him to face the mirror in the room. “See?”</p>
<p>It… looked nice, Klaus admitted. The smaller necklace rested high against his neck, with the second just below it, somehow working with the dog tags that sat low against his chest, with the pendants increasing in size as they got lower.</p>
<p>“That looks much better,” Klaus agreed. As he watched, Lila also slipped a bracelet onto his wrist, one made of several dark brown cords decorated with colourful beads.</p>
<p>“You’re really good at this,” Klaus complimented.</p>
<p>Lila offered him a cocky half-smile. “Obviously. Knowing how to dress right is important for being able to blend in.” She ran a light hand over the fabric of the shirt at Klaus’ shoulder. “The white isn’t great for hiding bloodstains. Go for red next time. And wear boots tonight, not heels. Better for kicking someone’s face in.”</p>
<p>Klaus raised his eyebrows. “Well, that wasn’t on the agenda, but good suggestion.”</p>
<p>Klaus glanced at the time, pulled a face, and began to hurry up. The last thing he needed was an impatient Five teleporting over to get him, only to find Lila.</p>
<p>He <em>did</em> select a nice pair of black boots, which he’d bought more for the spooky aesthetic than kicking someone’s face in, and took a moment to admire himself in the mirror. It was a little <em>normal </em>for his usual standards, but he hadn’t quite found the time or energy lately to fix his wardrobe to his fashion-sense.</p>
<p>“Opinions, Bennerino?” he asked absentmindedly, twirling.</p>
<p>Klaus winced and rushed out of the room before the silence became too apparent. Entering the living room, with a push of his left palm, several of the loudest ghosts were blasted away, while Lila watched with a mixture of awe and envy.</p>
<p>“See you later!” Klaus called, waving <strong>GOODBYE</strong> at Lila before closing the door behind him.</p>
<p>The Umbrella Academy was only a ten-minute walk from Klaus’ apartment. He’d rallied and protested, trying to negotiate an apartment further away, but Five, the paranoid little bastard, didn’t want him where he couldn’t be monitored.</p>
<p>“The little demon is hoarding our siblings like gold,” Klaus remarked to the empty street. A nearby ghost snarled at him as he passed, not the one he’d intended to address.</p>
<p>“It’ll be nice to see Diego again,” Klaus murmured. Almost hypocritically, he did like the opportunity their Saturday dinners provided to check that Diego was alive. The rest of their siblings didn’t spend their time actively hunting down former time-travelling assassins.</p>
<p>Klaus let himself into the Academy. He noted the sounds of laughter and pleasant conversation coming from the living room and immediately decided <em>not</em> to go there. Instead, he wandered up the staircase, heading into Ben’s room and flopping onto his bed.</p>
<p>He’d go down to see his siblings soon. He just needed a moment. To ready himself.</p>
<p>Sometimes it was <em>exhausting </em>dealing with his siblings. They were all on the <em>getting their shit together </em>train, bonding and healing and all that sappy stuff. And they were doing it together. Meanwhile, Klaus dragged himself through mundane life, living in an apartment that didn’t feel like his, working at a job that had been meticulously studied and selected for him (even if he did grow to love it) and talking to a ghost that was no longer with him.</p>
<p>
  <em>(Nobody needs your shit, Klaus. That’s why you’re always alone.)</em>
</p>
<p>“Shut up, Ben,” Klaus grumbled into the pillow.</p>
<p>“Klaus?”</p>
<p>Klaus rolled over to find Diego standing in the doorway, arms crossed and an underlying tension to his stance. His brother frowned down at him.</p>
<p>“Oh, hey Diego,” Klaus greeted with a wave.</p>
<p>There was an unreadable expression on Diego’s face as he regarded Klaus. “What are you doing in Ben’s room?”</p>
<p><em>Oh</em>, Klaus realised.</p>
<p>He smiled weakly at Diego. “Well, my room’s full of drugs and I’m trying to stay clean, remember?”</p>
<p>Diego shifted his weight, and Klaus <em>wished</em> for a moment that his brother would just come out and <em>say it</em>. He knew what Diego was thinking. What Luther would’ve said if he were there. That Klaus had <em>no right</em> to be in Ben’s room, <em>disturbing </em>their deceased sibling’s space, and <em>especially not </em>after Klaus had kept him from them for all those years.</p>
<p>Instead, Diego jerked his head toward the door. “C’mon. Everyone else has arrived.”</p>
<p>And Klaus slid off the bed, standing and smoothing out his shirt before smiling brilliantly at Diego. “Lead the way, <em>bruder</em>.”</p>
<p>Diego exited the room and Klaus took one last moment to appraise Ben’s bedroom. Its bookshelf, full of books that Ben never got to read, a desk that was still dotted with textbooks, neatly closed and bookmarked, but otherwise undisturbed by their mother. He could almost picture Ben there, sitting on his bed, frowning at Klaus in annoyance for disturbing his reading yet again.</p>
<p>“I miss you, you shitheel,” Klaus whispered before trailing downstairs after Diego.</p>
<p>“Klaus!” Allison embraced him, smiling widely, before stepping back to admire his outfit. “I love your necklace!”</p>
<p>Klaus preened, because Lila <em>had</em> made a good choice. “<em>Danke</em>, a friend from work helped pick it out.”</p>
<p>“The one that’s passively trying to poison me?” Five queried dryly from where he was seated at the kitchen table.</p>
<p>Klaus waved him off. “Key word: passively. They haven’t tried in weeks.”</p>
<p>Before Klaus could make his way to the table, Vanya was hugging him too. He smiled softly, surprised, before wrapping his arms around her.</p>
<p>“Hey Klaus,” Vanya greeted, stepping back. There was a sparkle to her eyes and a lightness to her step that made Klaus smile back genuinely.</p>
<p>“Hey Vanny. How’s the violin going?”</p>
<p>Vanya’s face lit up as she began to regale him with some story about the orchestra. With an exasperated sigh, Five stood to grasp Vanya’s arm and steer her in the direction of her seat, Klaus following amusedly.</p>
<p>Their kitchen table (not the dining room – they’d all agreed it held too many bad memories) was laden with food. It seemed Mom had gone with a roast, and made enough food to feed a small army (or Luther).</p>
<p>Klaus succeeded in keeping up the cordial conversation throughout the meal, inquiring about what they’d been up to, how was Claire going, did you check out that artist I recommended Vanya, no Five you can’t pre-emptively frame Sasha for a crime they may commit.</p>
<p>It was good. Klaus was doing fine. This was easy.</p>
<p>
  <em>(Liar.)</em>
</p>
<p>Klaus had decided he’d tell them after dinner, preferably when they were away from the kitchen and its many sharp utensils. (He’d long since learned his mistake about breaking bad news when Diego and Five had easy access to weaponry.) They actually all had relocated to the lounge room, several of them enjoying a cup of coffee, before the subject was broached.</p>
<p>“How’s the search for Lila going?” Vanya asked Diego, offering a hesitant smile.</p>
<p>Diego’s face fell. “I followed up a lead in Oklahoma this week that sounded promising, but nothing.” He brightened slightly after a moment. “But I got a new tip about someone that matches her description in Montana.”</p>
<p>And…no. Klaus wasn’t going to let his brother travel all that way for no reason. Now seemed as good a time as any to bring it up.</p>
<p>“Actually,” Klaus cut in. “I have something I need to talk to you guys about.” He noticed Luther opening his mouth and held up a hand. “No, I’m not high or drunk or anything but painfully sober, fuck off.”</p>
<p>“What is it, Klaus?” Allison shot a pointed look at Luther before smiling encouragingly at him.</p>
<p>He <em>had </em>missed Allison in the past few years. Though judgemental and casually dismissive at times, in the same way that all of his siblings viewed him, she had always had a soft spot for him. When they were younger, she’d taught him to do his nails and he’d shown her how to perfect her eyeliner. She could usually be counted upon to listen to him.</p>
<p>But… not just yet.</p>
<p>“Nope.” Klaus resolutely shook his head. “I need some sort of promise first that you won’t all freak out, and that <em>you</em>” – he jabbed a finger at Five – “won’t disappear before I can finish explaining.”</p>
<p>That caught Five’s attention, and he leaned forward to study Klaus with a harsh glare. “And what the <em>fuck</em> have you done this time, Klaus?”</p>
<p>“Promise first,” Klaus insisted.</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.”</p>
<p>Well, that was to be expected, really.</p>
<p>Klaus relented, pouting. “Okay, just – let me explain before you go jumping to conclusions, all of you.”</p>
<p>“Klaus, is everything alright?” Vanya placed a hand on his arm, frowning softly in concern.</p>
<p>“I’m dandy.” Klaus waved her off. He took a deep breath. “Okay, so the thing is, a couple of nights ago, Lila showed up at my apartment. She’s been staying with me ever since.”</p>
<p>“What the <em>fuck</em>, Klaus?” Diego demanded just as Five (predictably) disappeared in a flash of blue light.</p>
<p>Five reappeared only a second after that, shoving a small slip of paper into Diego’s hands. “There’s two mugs on the coffee table, more food gone than Klaus normally has, and she left a note. He’s telling the truth.”</p>
<p>Five turned his glare on Klaus. “So, I’d like to know why the <em>hell</em> you’ve been living with a <em>highly trained assassin</em> with a <em>vendetta </em>against our family and <em>didn’t think to mention it to anyone</em>.”</p>
<p>“Klaus, what the hell?” Luther agreed, scowling.</p>
<p>“Klaus.” Allison leaned forward to study him concernedly. “I know that ever since Ben died, you’ve been feeling-”</p>
<p>“No,” Klaus cut her off. “We’re not bringing Ben into this.”</p>
<p>“Do you have no regard <em>whatsoever</em> for your safety?” Five challenged. “She could’ve killed you, and none of us would’ve known!”</p>
<p>“Hey,” Klaus protested. “You would’ve-”</p>
<p>“I think a better question is why the hell you didn’t tell me when you know I’ve been searching everywhere for her,” Diego cut in, and boy was there <em>fury </em>in his voice.</p>
<p>“It’s not like I was keeping her from you,” Klaus protested.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah?” Diego challenged. “And what exactly did you do with Ben, again?”</p>
<p>Klaus’ mouth snapped shut, and for a moment he was filled with such a strong mix of anger and guilt and misery that he couldn’t organise his thoughts.</p>
<p>
  <em>You stay in this body. We need someone responsible behind the wheel, okay?</em>
</p>
<p>“That’s not fair, Diego,” Vanya contested quietly. “Too far.”</p>
<p>Klaus took a deep breath before meeting Diego’s angered gaze with an equally steady glare. “Are you going to let me explain before accusing me of anything else? Or should I wait?”</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>“When we were in the barn, Lila tried to steal my powers and bit off more than she could chew. She turned up on my doorstep because she was <em>exhausted </em>from the mutilated corpses following her around 24/7 and screaming at her. <em>She</em> asked <em>me</em> if I could teach her to banish the spirits. I agreed, because I wouldn’t want anyone to go through that and I don’t want her going down the same path I did.<em> She</em> didn’t want me to tell you at all about her, but we compromised because <em>I thought this family was trying for some open fucking communication.</em>”</p>
<p>His siblings were silent as they all processed what he’d said. Diego finally looked away, guilt in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Jesus Christ,” Klaus said lowly. “I’m just trying to help her.”</p>
<p>“Mutilated corpses?” Vanya questioned after a moment, wrapping her arms around herself.</p>
<p>“The dead… aren’t pretty,” Klaus offered in explanation. “They tend to look like how they died. Lila’s got a lot of bloody ghosts from her time in the Commission, and a lot of the ghosts from those Commission agents you killed latched onto her.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Vanya, at least, was listening to him, regret painted clearly in her expression.</p>
<p>“The ghosts lose their humanity pretty quick,” Klaus continued, with a sudden longing for them to understand, “once they realise that nobody can hear them or see them. And they latch onto anyone who can, in this case, Lila. And then they never leave.”</p>
<p>“I thought you had to conjure ghosts for them to appear,” Luther questioned, but not accusingly.</p>
<p>Klaus shook his head firmly. “No. The only ghost I’ve ever conjured…” he trailed off, but the way Luther’s face tightened indicated he’d gotten the implication. “Ghosts find me, not the other way around.”</p>
<p>“She’s safe?” Diego asked hesitantly. “She’s not injured or anything?”</p>
<p>Five scoffed. “More importantly – has she tried to kill you yet?”</p>
<p>Diego bristled. “She wouldn’t-”</p>
<p>“She would,” Five refuted, crossing his arms.</p>
<p>“She hasn’t tried to kill me,” Klaus stated, rolling his eyes. “And she’s had several opportunities. She’s definitely safe and uninjured, and we’ve started working on banishing the ghosts.”</p>
<p>“Klaus,” Allison voiced, a soft frown on her face. “She <em>did</em> try to kill all of us.”</p>
<p>“She’s been manipulated all her life by someone who just used her for her powers,” Klaus snapped. “I figured, of all people, we’d understand that.”</p>
<p>Allison barely hid a flinch at that, but Vanya nodded in understanding.</p>
<p>“She actively wants me dead,” Five stated, unconvinced.</p>
<p>Klaus threw his hands in the air. “Because you killed her parents!”</p>
<p>Five recoiled at that before his eyes hardened.</p>
<p>“Look,” Klaus cut in quickly. “We all get that you did what you had to in order to get back to us. The Handler was the one to order the kill. But you still killed them. Surely you can understand why she’s a little upset?”</p>
<p>“A <em>little </em>upset,” Five seethed. He was in Klaus’ face in a blue flash, towering over him and crowding him back into the couch. “Fine. <em>New rules</em>,<em> asshole</em>. You call every morning and every night so we know you’re not dead. If you’re more than five minutes late to work, I’m coming to your apartment, I don’t give a fuck about whether she’s there or not.”</p>
<p>“Five, you’re not seriously thinking about letting this happen?” Luther questioned indignantly. “She nearly killed Allison!”</p>
<p>Klaus bristled, crossing his arms. “I’m not asking your permission. She needs my help. And I’m going to help her. But I am asking that you respect her decision to not see any of you. Which means no teleporting in when she’s at my apartment or sneaking in to see her when she doesn’t want to see <em>you</em>. I guarantee the second you do, that’ll be the last we see of her.”</p>
<p>Five stepped back, waving a hand at Klaus. “See? We can’t exactly stop him, short of tying him down somewhere.”</p>
<p>“Nobody’s tying Klaus down somewhere,” Vanya asserted firmly even as Klaus’ heart lurched, fear spiking within him.</p>
<p>He shot her a grateful look and his sister met his eyes, nodding resolutely. She had his back, at least. <strike>They both knew what it was like to be locked up</strike>.</p>
<p>“You really think you can help her?” Diego asked quietly. He didn’t look at Klaus.</p>
<p>Klaus nodded. “I think we’ve already made some progress.”</p>
<p>“And you realise how dangerous it is teaching her to control <em>another</em> power?” Five queried.</p>
<p>“I do.”</p>
<p>Five teleported to the bar, picking up a near-empty martini glass. “Well, that’s that. You check in by 10, every morning and evening. You’re no more than five minutes late to work. In return, we’ll leave the crazy lady alone. Deal?”</p>
<p>Klaus nodded, even though checking in <em>every </em>morning and <em>every </em>night was excessive and despite the fact that he usually toed the line when it came to punctuality. Because he knew this was Five’s prickly and roundabout way of making sure he was safe. “Deal.”</p>
<p>“<em>Deal</em>, Diego?” Five pressed.</p>
<p>“Deal.”</p>
<p>“Good,” Five said shortly. “Well, this has been about as successful as any other family night.”</p>
<p>Five teleported away, leaving silence in his wake.</p>
<p>Allison stood next, smoothing out her skirt. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Klaus.”</p>
<p>Klaus smiled lazily up at her. “Oh, <em>never</em>, sister dear.”</p>
<p>Allison only pursed her lips, leaving the room. Luther followed her, and with a glance at Diego and then Klaus, Vanya also excused herself, shooting him a supportive smile.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry about what I said about Ben,” Diego stated quietly, not looking at him.</p>
<p>Klaus waved him off despite the way his chest ached at the mention of Ben, smiling freely. “Oh, don’t you worry about that. Takes more than that to hurt my feelings.”</p>
<p>Diego snorted, but quietened almost immediately. “Did she… did she say anything about me?”</p>
<p>“She still considers you her boyfriend,” Klaus offered, feeling pleased with the small smile that curled Diego’s lips. “Made a couple lewd comments about your body, which I did <em>not</em> need to hear.”</p>
<p>Diego let out a short laugh. “So, she’s doing alright then?”</p>
<p>Klaus paused this time, choosing his words carefully. “I think that, given time, she’ll be alright.”</p>
<p>Diego nodded. Really, Klaus knew, it was all he could hope for.</p>
<p>“Anyway,” Klaus changed subject, uncomfortable with the seriousness of their conversation. “I’m glad our siblings left us alone so <em>thoughtfully</em>. I wanted to ask – do you have a really small knife I can borrow?”</p>
<p>Diego frowned in confusion.</p>
<p>“That whole trajectory manipulation thing you got going on,” Klaus explained, gesturing at him. “Lila has it too. It blocks out the ghosts when she’s activating another power. She can’t exactly go around all the time rumouring people, or teleporting or doing Vanya’s glowy-blowing-shit-up thing. And I don’t really get how she uses Luther’s power, so that leaves you.”</p>
<p>Understanding dawned on Diego and he nodded quickly, immediately palming and offering Klaus a small blade, no bigger than his hand.</p>
<p>Klaus stared at it. “Does that come with a sheath or something? Because like <em>hell</em> am I going to risk tearing my shirt putting that thing in my pocket.”</p>
<p>Diego rolled his eyes but detached a small sheath from his harness, slipping the knife in before offering it to Klaus. This time, he accepted it.</p>
<p>“Well.” Klaus bounded to his feet. “That’s about it for me tonight. I’ll see you next week, Diego.”</p>
<p>Klaus turned to leave, but hesitated.</p>
<p>He trusted that Allison would be too busy to bother stalking Lila, that Vanya wouldn’t even consider it, and that Luther lacked both the dedication and subtlety to pull it off. He knew that Five was currently upstairs, pouring over equations to account for recent events.</p>
<p>He knew that his brother would come to all the right conclusions – that Klaus was teaching Lila to master the only power she didn’t know and empowering the woman that had tried to kill them, but also that Klaus was still alive and Lila hadn’t tried coming after any of them. That Klaus would be able to try talking to Lila, befriend her even. That this could result in them gaining a powerful ally and losing a formidable enemy. <strike>(Klaus didn’t care. He just wanted to help her.)</strike> And that, worst case scenario, they’d just lose their lookout, the junkie.</p>
<p>He could trust Five to stay away.</p>
<p>The thing was, Diego was the one he didn’t trust to uphold his promise. His brother was too close to this.</p>
<p>“Diego,” Klaus started but faltered. “Di, I need you to promise that you won’t try to see Lila. That means no approaching her and no creepy rooftop-watching her from a distance. She’s a superpowered assassin, okay? She’d notice, and you’d scare her off. If she wants to talk to you, it had to be on her terms. I think you owe her that much.”</p>
<p>A range of emotions flickered over Diego’s face – anger, irritation, guilt, and finally a weary acceptance. “Alright, Klaus.”</p>
<p>Klaus clapped his hands together. “Goody.” He hesitated again. “Maybe you should stick around the Academy for a while. Keep you busy.”</p>
<p>“Maybe.”</p>
<p>Klaus nodded, bouncing on his heels once before turning with a wave of his <strong>GOODBYE</strong> hand. “See you around, brother dearest.”</p>
<p>Klaus dropped in on Vanya before leaving, offering a hug and a goodbye, and prodding at her until she agreed with a laugh to drop by for a coffee soon. Mission accomplished, he waved goodbye and departed.</p>
<p>“<em>Jesus</em>, that was a shitshow,” Klaus declared to the cold night.</p>
<p>(<em>See that’s what happens when you harbour murderers.)</em></p>
<p>Klaus groaned loudly.</p>
<p>
  <em>(Well, it could’ve been worse.)</em>
</p>
<p>“At least they didn’t try locking me up,” Klaus agreed absentmindedly.</p>
<p>It was a good thing Vanya had been so quick to shut that idea down. If not, Klaus would’ve told them in no uncertain terms what would happen if they even thought about trying.</p>
<p>He’d run.</p>
<p>The apartment was a compromise and had always been. His siblings didn’t want him on the streets and he didn’t want to be in the house. So, he took the apartment and his siblings go to play at happy families. It was alright, in that he didn’t have to worry about money or food.</p>
<p>But Klaus had spent over a decade on the streets. If his siblings had decided to lock him up, he would have run and they never would’ve seen him again.</p>
<p>Klaus let out another loud groan as he entered his apartment, clicking the lock into place behind him and heading straight for his bedroom. He collapsed face-first onto the bed with a long sigh.</p>
<p>Klaus heard movement from within his room and spoke into his pillow. “Lila, my family’s a fucking mess.”</p>
<p>Lila scoffed and he could hear her moving closer. “I’m starting to believe you on that one.”</p>
<p>Klaus rolled onto his side to look up at her, offering a tired smile. “Hey, I’m gonna take out a knife. Could you like, not kill me?”</p>
<p>True to his word, he slowly edged his hand toward the pocket of his dress, Lila’s eyes tracking his movement. He pulled Diego’s knife from his pocket and set it down on the bed in front of Lila.</p>
<p>“From Diego,” he explained. “I figured you could use a smaller knife than that bulky thing I managed to steal.”</p>
<p>Lila picked up the smaller throwing knife, unsheathing it to inspect in the light provided by Klaus’ window. Looking up at Lila, dressed in all dark colours, a heaviness to her eyes, though she handled the knife with deft fingers, Klaus realised how easy it would be for her to kill him.</p>
<p>“It’s obviously much less fun to ask for the knife,” Klaus continued, meandering on in his usual way. “Have you tried stealing from Diego before? It’s very entertaining. The entire family are suspects for a few days and he acts like we’ve betrayed him.”</p>
<p>“Should I be expecting your siblings soon?” Lila asked.</p>
<p>Klaus shook his head and yawned. “Nah. They were all assholes about it, but I think I actually convinced them all. They won’t come to the apartment or bother you.”</p>
<p>“They weren’t worried I’d kill you?” Surprise mixed with amusement coloured Lila’s tone.</p>
<p>“Oh, definitely.” Klaus nodded. “All these new bullshit safety measures. Checking in every night and morning and not being late to work. <em>Which means</em> that you’re officially in charge of getting me to work on time if you don’t want Five popping over! Yay!”</p>
<p>Klaus frowned up at her. “Hey, did you get dinner while I was gone? I left money on the kitchen counter – you saw, right?”</p>
<p>Lila stared down at him for a long moment, her eyes searching for something in Klaus’ own. Finally, she nodded. “I ate.”</p>
<p>She reached out, the barest touch along his arm. “You’re pretty alright, Klaus.”</p>
<p>Lila smiled, small and uncertain, but more genuine than any of the smirks and grins she’d tossed his way in the past few days.</p>
<p>Lila left and Klaus stared after her in slight confusion.</p>
<p>“That was weird, right Ben?”</p>
<p>Klaus sighed after a moment and slid to his feet.</p>
<p>He had to inform his siblings he hadn’t been murdered. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know things are a bit weird between Klaus and Lila, but they're still figuring each other out. </p>
<p>Next chapter up in 4 days.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As usual, he heard Five before he saw him.</p>
<p>Klaus took a moment to yawn as he finished wiping down the bench before spinning toward the counter, gesturing dramatically at his person.</p>
<p>“Still alive, as you can see. All in one piece too.”</p>
<p>Klaus registered the unamused expression on Five’s face before his attention was drawn to the woman beside him, bundled up warmly in a scarf and beanie. “Vanya, dear! I wasn’t expecting you so soon!”</p>
<p>Vanya smiled at him. “Hey Klaus. I caught Five on his way out and thought I’d join him.”</p>
<p>“A good thing too,” Klaus agreed. “The little bastard is increasingly close to starting a fight with my co-worker.”</p>
<p>Five scowled, turning his head to scan for Sasha at the reminder.</p>
<p>Klaus waved him off. “Cool it, small one. They’re in the backroom. Ten-minute break.”</p>
<p>Vanya laughed. “Don’t worry – I’ll hold him back.”</p>
<p>Now <em>that</em> would be an interesting fight, Klaus decided.</p>
<p>“What can I get you, Vanny?” Klaus gestured at the menu above his head. “You strike me as a cinnamon latte person, but we’ve also got coffees, hot chocolates and other stuff. Ooh – you should try some of our desserts. They’re to <em>die</em> for.”</p>
<p>Klaus cut Vanya off before she could speak. “But don’t rush into a decision – I’ll start making Five’s drink while you decide.”</p>
<p>He bustled off before Vanya could respond. Five <em>never</em> got anything other than a plain black coffee, and like <em>hell</em> was Klaus going to let another sibling leave this coffee shop without even <em>trying</em> their desserts.</p>
<p>“Holy shit.”</p>
<p>Sasha had exited from the backroom and was tugging at his sleeve, a slightly dazed expression on their face. “Who’s the person with the demon?”</p>
<p>“What?” Klaus glanced over at Vanya then back to Sasha, immediately picking up on the dreamy look in their eyes. “Oh <em>hell no. </em>That is my <em>sister</em>, Sasha.”</p>
<p>“She single?” Sasha’s eyes flickered to him before returning to Vanya.</p>
<p>Klaus hit their arm. “<em>Absolutely not</em>. Look, she just got out of a pretty serious relationship and she is <em>not</em> up to dealing with you flirting with her.”</p>
<p>Sasha sighed in disappointment. “I suppose it was too much to hope for. Was it very serious?”</p>
<p>Klaus busied himself with making Five’s coffee. “Yeah. Don’t think it was too long-term, but she fell <em>hard</em> for her farm Frau.”</p>
<p>A slow smile crept across Sasha’s face. “So, she’s queer?”</p>
<p>Klaus slapped their arm again. “Hey! No! Stop thinking about it!”</p>
<p>As if Klaus needed any more evidence, he caught a glimpse of Vanya’s dead ex-boyfriend Leonard from across the counter before carefully averting his eyes.</p>
<p>Sasha slapped his arm in retaliation, nearly spilling Five’s coffee. “At least introduce us.”</p>
<p>“Fine,” Klaus grumbled, rushing to place a lid over Five’s coffee. “You’re lucky that didn’t spill – he would’ve murdered you. Or me.”</p>
<p>Klaus made his way back over to Five and Vanya, placing the coffee on the counter between them. “Vanya, this is Sasha. They’re my co-worker and Five’s part-time nemesis.”</p>
<p>Five scoffed. “I have bigger issues than a spiteful barista.”</p>
<p>“You’re thirteen,” Sasha deadpanned. “What other issues can you possibly have?”</p>
<p>“Murder is bad!” Klaus yelped, moving slightly in front of Sasha as Five scowled, stepping forward. “Please don’t kill them. I don’t have anywhere near enough friends for you to start killing them all.”</p>
<p>Five’s attention was back on Klaus, and he scowled, scanning Klaus up and down. “Right. How is your <em>new friend</em>?”</p>
<p>Vanya stepped in quickly, smiling warmly at Sasha. “It’s nice to meet you. Sorry about my brother.”</p>
<p>Sasha beamed back at her. “It’s alright. He’s thirteen – probably just going through a rebellious phase. Can I get you anything?”</p>
<p>(Klaus was certain that to some level, Sasha knew that the situation with Five was more complicated than that – they just liked pissing Five off.)</p>
<p>Vanya did order the cinnamon latte and a small caramel slice after a pleading glance from Klaus.</p>
<p>Klaus took a brief moment to deliberate the consequences of leaving Sasha alone with Vanya compared with being left to Five’s mercy before bustling off to begin making his sister’s drink.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Five merely followed him from the other side of the counter. Fortunately, Vanya walked with him and Sasha, after quickly packaging a caramel slice, trailed after her.</p>
<p>“So, how <em>is</em> Lila?”</p>
<p>Klaus rolled his eyes at Five’s hard tone. “She’s doing great. I burnt us eggs for breakfast this morning. I don’t think it helped her suspicion that I’m trying to poison her.”</p>
<p>Klaus pressed a button on the coffee machine before frowning thoughtfully at Five. “You two have that in common. Maybe you can bond over that!”</p>
<p>“Who’s Lila?” Sasha asked curiously.</p>
<p>Five’s gaze moved to Sasha and there was a sudden glint to his eyes that made Klaus uneasy.</p>
<p>“Lila is the psychopath that tried to kill our entire family,” Five informed them. “Klaus is currently housing her.”</p>
<p>Sasha blinked, looking from Five to Klaus slowly. “Sorry, what?”</p>
<p>“She’s not actually a psychopath,” Klaus said dismissively. “You know, you really shouldn’t go throwing around labels like that, Fivey.”</p>
<p>“Regardless,” Five raised his voice over Klaus. “Lila tried to kill us all. And Klaus, being Klaus, had decided to take her in.”</p>
<p>“Don’t we have a rule about getting other people involved in our family issues?” Vanya queried, tucking her hands into her jacket.</p>
<p>Klaus gestured at Vanya. “Thank you!”</p>
<p>“Should I be getting Aunt Carla to come yell at you?” Sasha questioned, a hint of concern in their eyes.</p>
<p>“Jesus,” Klaus groaned. “Okay, Lila is <em>not</em> going to kill me. She was manipulated all her life and has just come to the realisation that the woman who raised her was a <em>bitch</em>. She needs my help. Five, you’re taking this <em>way</em> too seriously.”</p>
<p>“And you’re not taking this seriously enough,” Five snapped. “She could kill you.”</p>
<p>
  <em>She can try. </em>
</p>
<p>“I know you’re worried,” Klaus said calmly. “But I need you to trust me on this one, Five. Okay? I’ve got this.”</p>
<p>Klaus handed Vanya her latte with a soft smile. “There you go, Vanny.”</p>
<p>“If you die because of this,” Five said finally, “I’ll never forgive you.”</p>
<p><em>If I die because of this,</em> Klaus contemplated, <em>I’ll probably just stand back up</em>.</p>
<p>Vanya paid for both her own order and Five’s coffee and they left, taking a hoard of ghosts with them.</p>
<p>“Klaus,” Sasha began seriously before their lips quirked, “I need you to be straight with me.”</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>never</em>.”</p>
<p>Sasha smirked before quickly sobering. “Should I be worried about this Lila person?”</p>
<p>Klaus took longer to consider his response than he had when defending himself to his siblings. “Maybe,” he admitted. “But I really don’t think so. She’s definitely dangerous, but I don’t think she’d kill me. She’s messed up, but when she did try to kill us, she had a pretty good reason. I don’t think she’d do it again.”</p>
<p>Ben would push, demand proof and evidence that Klaus didn’t have, but Sasha just nodded. A moment later, a suggestive smirk formed on their lips.</p>
<p>“So, this Lila… is she pretty?”</p>
<p>Klaus blinked. “I guess?” He noticed the widening of their smirk and rushed to continue. “But no, it’s not like that. Lila’s kind of dating one of my brothers.”</p>
<p>“Present tense?”</p>
<p>“Yep.”</p>
<p>“Wow.” Sasha shook their head at him. “Klaus, your family is really fucking weird.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is impossible.”</p>
<p>Lila glared at him accusingly. “It’s not working,” she reiterated.</p>
<p>Klaus leaned back against the foot of the couch. “I get it feels that way, Lila – I really do. But you’ve gotten more progress done in a few days than I did in like, thirty years. You’re doing great.”</p>
<p>Lila scowled at him before pointedly gazing around the debilitated living room.</p>
<p>So, Lila was having a<em> little</em> trouble banishing spirits instead of manifesting them. Klaus’ living room was a mess of broken lamps and knocked over cushions and upended furniture, because <em>corporeal </em>ghosts weren’t <em>happy </em>ghosts.</p>
<p>Klaus could understand where Lila’s issues were coming from, as he absentmindedly twisted the blue energy of his powers around his hands. It was a thin line between pushing that power <em>at</em> the ghosts and pushing that power <em>into</em> the ghosts. </p>
<p>“Easy for you to say,” Lila huffed. “You can actually control your stupid powers.”</p>
<p>Klaus sighed and leaned further into the couch, staring up at the ceiling. “I’m sorry I’m such a shitty teacher.”</p>
<p>Lila sighed too and after a moment there was a light kick at his ankle. “You’re not a shitty teacher,” she conceded. “I just don’t get why I can’t master your dumb powers like everyone else’s.”</p>
<p>Klaus tilted his head to look at her, offering a self-deprecating smile. “That’s my dumb powers for you. When we were growing up, it always came so easy to the others. Luther could lift furniture before he could walk, Five jumped like he breathed – I was the only one that couldn’t control their powers.”</p>
<p>“Your dad,” Lila stumbled over her words. “He trained you too?”</p>
<p><em>Like my Mom trained me? </em>Klaus could almost hear.</p>
<p>He nodded. “Yep. His very own murder-babies.”</p>
<p>“So, how did he train you?” Lila asked curiously. “Maybe one of his methods could help-”</p>
<p>Klaus cut her off laughing. He glanced to his left, going to trade a conspiratorial smirk with Ben, (because when had <em>any </em>of their father’s methods helped <em>either </em>of them?), only to halt at the empty space there.</p>
<p>Right. Ben was dead.</p>
<p>Klaus noticed Lila’s glare. “Sorry,” he apologised quickly. “I forget that you never got to meet daddy dearest. You won’t find any of our family praising pops for their progress with their powers.”</p>
<p>Lila’s glare lessened. “What do you mean by that?”</p>
<p>Klaus hesitated, contemplating his childhood bitterly. “Dad… he was a bastard. He used to make Diego throw knives at us for practice. We’d have to stand right next to the target, and if he missed… Five used to volunteer for it – said that he couldn’t be bothered dealing with my whining if Diego nicked me. He was really just trying to protect us.”</p>
<p>“Dad used to make Ben tear apart live animals,” Klaus recalled. “He’d come back from practice covered in blood and afraid to go near any of us, in case the Horror wanted to go for us too. Ben was always so quiet and kind – the best of us, really, until Dad got him killed.”</p>
<p>But Lila had wanted to know about his training, hadn’t she? Silly of him to take such a meandering stroll down memory lane.</p>
<p>“Me?” Klaus smiled wryly. “There’s this graveyard a few blocks from the Academy. And in the middle of it is this mausoleum, almost a century old. The ghosts inside are ancient and vicious and insane. Dear old pops liked to lock me in there with them. Just me and a bunch of screaming corpses for a few days sometimes.”</p>
<p>Klaus’ eyes trailed over Lila, taking in the horror in her eyes. “You understand,” he said softly, “if I feel slightly more qualified to teach you than that bastard.”</p>
<p>“How- how old were you,” Lila questioned haltingly, “when he first put you in there?”</p>
<p>“Eight.”</p>
<p>Lila let out a string of curses, and despite the weight of the memories from his childhood pressing in on him, Klaus felt like smiling. Lila was… angry on his behalf. Maybe she didn’t hate him.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t so bad at first,” Klaus felt obligated to add.</p>
<p>“How the hell was getting locked in with a bunch of screaming ghosts not so bad?” Lila questioned disbelievingly.</p>
<p>“At first it was just a few hours at a time.” Klaus shrugged. “Dad ramped it up when he was ready to show us off to the public, so he’d lock me in overnight. But twelve was the rebellious age for a lot of us. Five was nosy and one day he followed us to the mausoleum. When Dad left, he’d teleport me out and we’d go get doughnuts or something.”</p>
<p>Five had been a lifeline to Klaus. He’d taken one look at Klaus, curled up in a corner of the mausoleum, <em>sobbing</em> as ghosts screamed at him, and he hadn’t even hesitated. In a flash of blue light, Klaus had been sprawled over the cool grass in a nearby park, a clear night sky above him, before he could even distinguish Five from the spirits.</p>
<p>“When we were thirteen, Five tried time-travelling and got stuck in the future,” Klaus supplied. “Bye bye doughnuts, hello angry ghosties. It was nice while it lasted.”</p>
<p>There was silence for a few moments.</p>
<p>Sometimes Klaus liked to imagine what would’ve happened if Five hadn’t left. After he was gone, Klaus was left alone to the horrors of the mausoleum, as nightly sessions dragged out into days. None of his other siblings knew, even as Klaus fell <em>hard</em> into alcohol and drugs in an effort to drown out the dead. Klaus offered for Diego’s target practice in Five’s place, unable to bear seeing little Vanya standing there, despite the fact that alcohol left him swaying and the shouts of the damned had him flinching into the path of Diego’s knives.</p>
<p>“Your brother, Ben,” Lila began, and he froze, his blood running cold. “He died, right? I thought I’d see him around more.”</p>
<p>Klaus laughed shakily. “Oh no, he’s gone for good now. Spent sixteen years haunting my ass and then fucking <em>dies</em> again.”</p>
<p>“How is that even possible?”</p>
<p>“Lila,” Klaus breathed out. “I really, <em>really</em> don’t want to talk about it.”</p>
<p>A foot nudged at his own again, less aggressive, more… reassuring. “Alright.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry this chapter is so short. It was originally part of ch. 2 but it didn't feel like it fit. </p>
<p>Thank you all so much for your comments and kudos (:</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning: 1 use of a homophobic slur.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Oh, good. You’re not dead.”</p><p>“Stop being such a dramatic bitch,” Klaus complained as he trailed after Five into the kitchen. “You literally saw me this morning at work, alive and well.”</p><p>“See, that’s the thing about living with a professional killer,” Five remarked dryly. “That can change in a matter of seconds.”</p><p>(Klaus liked to think he had some idea about that, considering the mass of ghosts trailing after his brother, bleeding and screaming and undeservingly torn from life too early.</p><p><em>KLAUS! AVENGE US! HE KILLED US. YOU NEED TO AVENGE US, KLAUS.</em>)</p><p>Klaus stuck out his tongue at Five, bypassing him to snatch Vanya up in a hug. His little sister yelped before relaxing, trying to hug him back from the awkward angle she was at.</p><p>“Hi Klaus,” Vanya greeted amusedly.</p><p>“Hey Vanny.” Klaus dropped a kiss on the top of her head before releasing her. “Did you miss me terribly?”</p><p>“Of course,” Vanya promised, her eyes sparkling. “Five, go tell the others Klaus is here.”</p><p>For a moment, Klaus’ brain short-circuited until he realised that <em>yes</em> he was now the only one who didn’t live here. He was a record five minutes early, but the latest to arrive. <strike>Always the odd one out, always one step behind his siblings.</strike></p><p>Five grumbled but agreed and Klaus relaxed as the noise in the room lessened, leaving him with Vanya’s creepy ex.</p><p>“What’s for dinner today, sister dear?” Klaus bounded over to the dining table.</p><p>“Chinese,” Vanya supplied, following him.</p><p>“Delicious,” A thought occurred to Klaus. “Hey, while our siblings aren’t here, I need to ask a favour.”</p><p>Now Vanya looked wary. “Yes?”</p><p>“Tomorrow’s Sunday,” Klaus explained. “And I want to take Lila shopping for new clothes, but I need to be able to guarantee I won’t run into any of our siblings there.”</p><p>It was a slim chance that any of them would be at the shopping centre, but Klaus didn’t want to risk it. And he felt like telling his siblings outright that he was taking Lila shopping would actually worsen his chances of them trying to observe them from a distance.</p><p>Vanya smiled, the worry disappearing from her eyes. “Okay. I think I can work something out to keep them busy.”</p><p>“Just lunch to early afternoon,” Klaus assured her. “A few hours.”</p><p>“Of course,” Vanya reassured. “Whatever you need.”</p><p>He really did have the best sister in the world, didn’t he? It was a shame it took him thirty years to realise it.</p><p>“Hey Klaus.” Allison entered the room, dressed casually but stylishly in a pair of skinny jeans and a jumper.</p><p>Glancing around his siblings as they trailed in, Klaus realised they were all dressed casually – jeans, hoodies, tracksuit pants. Klaus tugged self-consciously at his skirt and quickly sat down at the table. After all, for the rest of his family, this was just another dinner, with the small addition of Klaus. <strike>Insignificant, really.</strike></p><p>“Hey Allie.” Klaus smiled brightly at her, trying to push down that forlorn sensation in his chest. “How have you been? Keeping busy?”</p><p>Allison smiled, seating herself opposite him. “Trying to. Still working on renovating the house.”</p><p>“I was thinking we could do the painting tomorrow,” Vanya cut in quickly. “The white in my room is driving me crazy.”</p><p>“You should paint it rainbow,” Klaus suggested, immediately understanding what Vanya was doing. “Dad would hate it – stick it to the homophobic prick.”</p><p>“Dad was homophobic?” Luther questioned uncertainly.</p><p>“Oh definitely,” Klaus agreed cheerfully, beginning to serve himself food. “When he could be bothered to take an interest in my life.”</p><p>Diego tensed. “He wasn’t homophobic to you, was he?”</p><p>Klaus laughed. “Well, obviously.” He tilted his head at Diego. “You weren’t out yet, were you?”</p><p>In his childhood, Klaus had been a constant media scandal. Not even Reginald could keep him from repeatedly outing himself to a society that just as frequently liked to brush his sexuality under the rug, in an effort to keep their children’s heroes idyllically heterosexual. Klaus had always taken the brunt of the media attention.</p><p>“He never… <em>hurt</em> you, right?” Allison was frowning concernedly at him.</p><p>Klaus blinked. “Well, yeah. You remember that time I broke my jaw, right? I was what…fifteen?”</p><p>Vanya paled. “I thought you fell down the stairs.”</p><p>“Technically.” Klaus shrugged. “You know, after he pushed me. Old news.”</p><p>“What the <em>fuck</em>?” Five glared at him.</p><p>Klaus glanced around uncertainly at his siblings. Vanya looked like she might be ill, and Allison seemed torn between shock and anger. Luther was frowning, an unsettled expression on his face, and both Five and Diego were scowling.</p><p>Klaus didn’t understand. He glanced to his left, seeking clarification from Ben, who might’ve had a better grasp on the situation, if he was actually there. With a brief wince, Klaus returned his focus to his siblings.</p><p>“Didn’t you guys know this?” he asked hesitantly.</p><p>Diego’s scowl deepened. “No, we didn’t fucking know that Hargreeves <em>pushed you down the stairs</em> for being gay.”</p><p>Klaus couldn’t help his scoff at that, nor the sardonic smile that twisted his lips automatically, stabbing at his food with slightly more force than necessary.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Klaus let out a short laugh and glanced up at his siblings. “Sorry, it’s just – I’m not gay. I’m pan. Been using that label since I was twelve.”</p><p>That <em>did</em> kind of piss him off. He’d known his sexuality for some twenty or so years, and not once had his siblings bothered to even clarify what it was? Not even when Klaus was a frequent topic of debate in the media?</p><p>(Ben had known. Ben had never messed up his labels.)</p><p>“Sorry, Klaus.” And Diego did sound genuinely remorseful. “I didn’t know.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Klaus lied. “Funny – I didn’t expect to be coming out tonight. Figured I was well and out of the closet.” He changed subject quickly. “So, what do you say, Vanny? Rainbow? For your queer heart?”</p><p>Vanya smiled, a little stilted and awkward. “I’ll definitely consider it.”</p><p>Klaus nodded resolutely, satisfied with her response, and began to tuck into his food.</p><p>“Wait, Klaus – we’re not going to just brush over the fact that Dad pushed you down the stairs,” Allison interjected.</p><p>Klaus swallowed his mouthful. “Why? It was a long time ago. I figured you guys knew – you didn’t, case closed.”</p><p>“If I’d been there,” Five stated, “I swear to God, I would’ve killed the bastard.”</p><p>Klaus considered his little brother for a moment, taking in his clenched fists and the open rage in his eyes. <em>Yes</em>, he concluded. He would’ve.</p><p>The thing was, that wasn’t even that bad. Sure, it had hurt like a bitch in the moment, but he’d been on painkillers for <em>weeks</em>. The ghosts couldn’t even touch him. It was a blissful time, considering his usual training.</p><p>(<em>Well, they wouldn’t know that, because you never told them about the mausoleum</em>, Ben snarked in his head.</p><p>Klaus felt like hissing at him.)</p><p>“It’s in the past,” Klaus placated his brother. “I’m over it.”</p><p>“You can talk to us about this stuff, alright?” Allison said gently, apparently <em>not</em> over it. “Doesn’t matter how long ago it was.”</p><p>Klaus blinked at her before smiling. “Of course, sis! But I’m an open book! You know all my daddy issues already.”</p><p>(<em>Liar.</em></p><p><em>Drop dead</em>, Klaus thought reflexively, then flinched violently.)</p><p>Though Five narrowed his eyes at Klaus, the rest of his family seemed content to move on after that, with only a few lingering worried looks.</p><p>“How’s Lila?” Luther asked awkwardly after a few moments, and Diego immediately perked up.</p><p>Klaus smiled at Diego reassuringly. “She’s doing alright.”</p><p>“Tried to kill you yet?” Five asked, serving himself dumplings.</p><p>“No.” Klaus rolled his eyes. “And I don’t think she’ll try.”</p><p>“Lulling you into a false sense of security,” Five supplied. “A classic Commission tactic.”</p><p>“Why would she do that?” Klaus countered. “She could’ve killed me in my sleep at any point now.”</p><p>“Then getting information from you. For when she fights us next time.”</p><p>Klaus rolled his eyes. “Like I told your other Commission buddies – that’s pointless. She wouldn’t pick the one sibling whose family tell them nothing.”</p><p>This time Five winced, looking away from Klaus.</p><p>“How’s her training going?” Vanya interceded quickly, before the room could fall into another uncomfortable silence.</p><p>Klaus brightened. “Pretty good. She’s definitely got some control now, but she’s finding it difficult to banish ghosts instead of summon them.”</p><p>Lila had compared it to blindly reaching for a switch in complete darkness, and then not knowing which way to flick it. It was a complete toss up each time.</p><p>“Is that a problem you had?” Allison asked curiously.</p><p>Klaus shook his head, preoccupied with chewing.</p><p>“Interesting.” Five frowned in concentration. “I wonder – is that because she hasn’t had her powers as long as you have, so she’s less accustomed to using them? Or is it because she’s more powerful and lacks the precision to determine the difference between banishment and corporeality? Or perhaps-”</p><p>Klaus swallowed and cleared his throat. “Um, wow. Cool it, Fivey. I think I can handle knowing how <em>my </em>powers work. I’ve actually got a pretty good idea of why she’s struggling.”</p><p>Five narrowed his eyes at him. “Oh really? And what’s your hypothesis?”</p><p>Klaus smiled right back at Five’s glare. “What do you know about Ouija boards?”</p><p>Five’s scowl lessened, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. “They’re supposedly conduits for the spiritual world. A way to contact and interact with ghosts.”</p><p>Klaus beamed, clapping his hands together. “Exactly! Their entire thing is that you’re reaching out to the spirit world, opening up a line of communication, inviting them in, yada, yada, yada. Now the important thing that like <em>every</em> pastor or occult expert will warn you about, is closing that communication – not leaving it open for the ghosts. Hello, goodbye.” He splayed his palms for his family to see. “These aren’t just for the aesthetic, you know.”</p><p>There was genuine fascination and begrudging understanding in Five’s expression now. “You’re saying the tattoos help you channel your powers.”</p><p>Klaus nodded. “Yep.”</p><p>It took barely a thought for Klaus to sink into the iciness of his powers before pushing his right palm toward the doorway. Immediately, the wailing ghost there glowed a dark blue and his siblings flinched at the sudden noise as it became corporeal. “Hello.”</p><p>Before his siblings could complain, Klaus pushed out with his left palm toward the ghost, and it was hurled backward through the walls. “Goodbye.”</p><p>“I thought the tattoos were you rebelling against Dad?” Luther said hesitantly. “You were gone for days, and when we next saw you, you were drunk and had those tattoos on your hands.”</p><p>Klaus paused, tilting his head. “No? The tattoos were Dad’s idea? And you’d be drunk too if you’d just had a couple days of personal training while <em>painfully </em>sober.”</p><p>“<em>Days</em>?” Five questioned quietly, the only one <strike>left</strike> who knew what his personal training entailed. Klaus smiled at him sadly.</p><p>Diego was gripping his knife like he was about to stab someone. “Dad made you get the tattoos?” he demanded, incensed. “He marked you up – like some kind of Ouija board?”</p><p>Klaus blinked at his brother, warily eying the knife in his hand. “Well, yeah. I mean, he marked all of us up. What else is new?”</p><p>“That <em>bastard</em>!” Diego’s knife was driven into the table, where it remained, an inch or so deep, the hilt wobbling. “Jesus <em>Christ</em>, Klaus.”</p><p>“What?” His voice was small in the wake of Diego’s outburst, but defensive. “What did I do wrong?”</p><p>Five scoffed bitterly, teleporting to the other side of the table to snatch up a container of take-out. “Don’t worry, Klaus. I’m just learning how <em>fucked</em> your childhood was after I left.”</p><p>“I mean, it was fucked when you were there too,” Klaus felt the need to point out. Five raised his eyebrows and Klaus thought back to how Five, ever since he first found out, <em>always</em> appeared within minutes of Klaus being locked in the mausoleum to teleport him out, no matter how exhausting training had been that day, or if Reginald secreted Klaus away in the dead of night.</p><p>“You made it less fucked,” Klaus admitted, softer. “Thanks.”</p><p>Five nodded shortly, looking down at his food.</p><p>“Are you thinking of Lila getting the same tattoos?” Vanya asked, catching Diego’s attention.</p><p>Klaus winced. “Yeah, no. I’m not a big fan of coercing people into getting tattoos. I’ve got another idea I think will work.”</p><p>Klaus didn’t elaborate, instead choosing to occupy himself with his meal. His family fell into an uncomfortable silence before Allison started up a conversation about the renovations to the house – how each of his siblings wanted to change their rooms.</p><p>Once again, Klaus was struck with how much of an outsider he was. The ease of this conversation compared to the discomfort and tension he’d caused earlier. It worked so much better without him.</p><p>(There was always something about Klaus that never quite matched his siblings. The indisputable eeriness that surrounded him, the endless hazes of drugs and alcohol, his eccentricity. He never quite fit.</p><p>Ben had fit. Ben was the glue that held the family together – kind and friendly and understanding. He held them together until he didn’t, and eventually, toward the very end, he was none of those things, but Klaus loved him anyway.</p><p><strike>Sometimes Klaus thought that the wrong sibling had died in the 1960s.</strike>)</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“It’s Sunday!” Klaus declared, flinging himself onto the couch opposite Lila.</p><p>Lila glanced up from her coffee and raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “And?”</p><p>“I don’t have work. So, we’re going shopping!”</p><p>“We are?”</p><p>“Fuck yes, we are!”</p><p>Lila set down her mug on the table, regarding Klaus with that sarcastic and dry, yet somehow unassuming look that meant she was falling back into the safety of an act that masked her discomfort.</p><p>Klaus sat up properly, meeting Lila’s eyes seriously. “Listen, I have a guarantee from my sister that none of my family will be leaving the house until late afternoon. So, until then, I say we get out of here! You’re in serious need of new clothes and for the first time in my life, I have money! So, let’s go!”</p><p>Klaus couldn’t help but hold his breath as Lila paused, seeming to genuinely consider his suggestion. He honestly wasn’t sure if Lila ever left the apartment. He never asked Lila what she did while he was at work, because she seemed like she’d prefer her privacy.</p><p>“Just the two of us?” Lila questioned slowly.</p><p>“Actually, I invited my friend Sasha from work,” Klaus admitted. “They’re pretty cool though. And they don’t know any of the whole <em>superpowers,</em> Hargreeves family clusterfuck, so you can take a break from this shit too.”</p><p>Lila met his eyes. “Alright.”</p><p>Klaus beamed, immediately scrambling up from the coach. “<em>Wunderbar!</em> We leave in ten!”</p><p>Twenty minutes later found Klaus excitedly leading Lila through the entrance of the nearby shopping centre. Klaus was pleased with his outfit – a fitted denim skirt paired with a white crop top. But Lila was wearing a similar outfit to the one he’d first seen her in – dark pants and a leather jacket that only reinforced Klaus’ belief that Lila was in <em>desperate </em>need of new clothes.</p><p>Following a rather confusing thread of texts, Klaus managed to locate Sasha in the dresses section of a department store, searching through a rack of clothes, one dress already draped over their arm.</p><p>Sasha shoved a dress at him immediately. It was an especially bold outfit, solid autumnal colours in the shape of large feathers pieced together in a mix of dark pinks and blues. The dress and its strong colours seemed entirely out of place in comparison to the summery dresses they were surrounded by, and he couldn’t see where Sasha could’ve possibly found the dress. It was like nothing he’d worn recently, sticking to the outfits Allison had filled his closet with.</p><p>Klaus loved it.</p><p>“Fuck yes,” Klaus admired, holding the dress away from himself to look at it properly. “Thanks Sasha!”</p><p>“You’re helping me find t-shirts later,” Sasha responded. They seemed to be done with sifting through the dresses on the rack and turned to face them, holding out their hand to Lila. “You must be Lila.”</p><p>Lila shook the proffered hand. “And you’re Sasha.”</p><p>There was a slight rigidity underlying Sasha’s posture, as there usually was when meeting new people. When Sasha glanced at him, an unspoken question on their lips, Klaus nodded back, and some of their tension lessened.</p><p>By contrast, Lila seemed completely relaxed, that arrogant half-smirk on her face as she greeted Sasha. (Klaus wasn’t fooled. And he was beginning to understand. Despite his brother’s beliefs, Klaus <em>did</em> pay attention when Five had ranted about how easily Lila had infiltrated their little anti-apocalypse band, completely deceiving Diego. Lila had long-since learned how to be on-guard while not giving it away.)</p><p>Klaus clapped his hands together. “Right. Sasha, we need to pick like a whole new wardrobe for Lila, and I saw an absolutely <em>fabulous</em> pair of rainbow pants on the way in that I <em>need</em> to have.” He beamed at Lila. “So, where do you want to start?”</p><p>Lila shrugged, smiling lazily back at him, hands tucked into her pockets.</p><p>“C’mon,” Klaus prodded. “What do you like to wear?”</p><p>The smile on Lila’s face faded a little and she glanced down before responding. “I don’t know. Haven’t really had much of a choice in the past. Whatever fits the mission, you know?”</p><p>Klaus paused. Because <em>wow</em>, that was messed up, and probably something they should unpack at some point.</p><p>“We’ll just have to try everything then,” Sasha stated decisively. “What are your opinions on dresses?”</p><p>Lila wrinkled her nose. “They’re inconvenient for kicking someone’s ass in.”</p><p>“Then you’ve clearly been wearing the wrong type of dresses.”</p><p>Klaus was delighted to watch Sasha and Lila interact. Lila’s dry wit was a perfect match for Sasha’s sarcastic nature, the two of them shooting friendly jabs at each other. Although Sasha was initially on edge, they slowly regained confidence, and when Lila off-handedly asked him “Are they always this rude?”, Sasha <em>glowed</em>.</p><p>It was only when Klaus was engrossed in sorting through t-shirts for Sasha that the conversation took a dangerous turn.</p><p>“I can’t imagine dating someone related to Five,” Sasha commented with a shudder.</p><p>Lila stiffened immediately. “You know Five.” Her tone was deadly cold.</p><p>Sasha didn’t seem to notice. “Yeah, the little bastard comes by the coffee shop whenever Klaus is working.”</p><p>“Sasha,” Klaus cut in warningly. “I wouldn’t-”</p><p>“I was at work one day,” Sasha continued conversationally. “And all of a sudden, this kid is being an absolute <em>asshole</em> to Klaus. Klaus was like, new to the job, and he looked dead on his feet and he <em>definitely </em>didn’t deserve that. So, I made the kid’s drink. And I accidentally added some of the chilli powder we use for the hot chocolates.”</p><p>Klaus paused, because Lila hadn’t reacted yet, all movement stilled.</p><p>“Kid nearly blew a gasket,” Sasha said wistfully. “Of course, I didn’t know he was Klaus’ brother back then, but he was still being a little asshole.”</p><p>Unexpectedly, Lila let out an abrupt laugh. “I bet the little demon isn’t too fond of you.”</p><p>Sasha smirked back at her. “Oh, he’s never let me make his drink ever since. It’s probably a good thing – with how he treats Klaus, I’d be tempted to do it again.”</p><p>“So much rage in such a small body,” Lila agreed, only the slightest edge to her tone, and Klaus felt his tension begin to seep away.</p><p>“So, yeah,” Sasha steered them back on topic. “Dating someone related to <em>that</em>? I could never.”</p><p>“You were literally crushing on my sister like a week ago,” Klaus felt the need to point out, secure in the knowledge that Lila wasn’t about to flip out.</p><p>Sasha rolled their eyes. “Well, apparently she’s off-limits, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?”</p><p>Eventually, Klaus had all the clothes he could carry, and ushered Lila into a changing room.</p><p>“We don’t have to do the whole fashion montage thing,” Klaus called. “But let us know if you need anything.”</p><p>Klaus waited outside with Sasha, lounging on uncomfortable benches. With nobody around to tell him off, Klaus readjusted himself so he was lying down across the benches, his head in Sasha’s lap.</p><p>Sasha smiled down at him amusedly, fingers teasingly affectionately at his hair. “I like her,” they commented.</p><p>Klaus smiled hopefully.</p><p>“She’s definitely got a darker side to her,” Sasha continued. “But she’s not a bad person. A little lost, if anything.”</p><p><em>Lost</em>.</p><p>That was a word for it. Lila didn’t really have a home anymore, if her previous place within the Commission even counted. She didn’t have the direction of the missions or the orders or even her mother. No place to go and no purpose to fulfil.</p><p>Klaus knew the feeling.</p><p>He caught movement in the corner of his eye and sat up. Lila was edging out of the dressing room, wearing a pair of distressed baggy jeans and a black tank top.</p><p>Lila toyed with the hem of her top. “I think I like this.”</p><p>Klaus beamed at her and Sasha let out a low whistle.</p><p>“Looking good, Lila,” they assured her.</p><p>Klaus’ mind was already beginning to spin together outfits that Lila might like. Only aiding him, Lila tried on a few more outfits for them, with only an edge of reluctance.</p><p>“It’s white,” Lila tried to point out, despite the fact that she’d liked it enough to show to them. “It’s too easy to get blood on it.”</p><p>“But it’s a fantastic colour on you,” Sasha countered. (They’d know – Sasha’s half-Mauritius background gave them a similar skin tone.)</p><p>In the end, Lila got the white button-down shirt. And the ripped jeans. And the black tank top. And a whole range of outfits that Klaus insisted on getting for her, whenever she showed the slightest interest in an article of clothing.</p><p>Klaus was content with their purchases for Lila and allowed Sasha to drag them to another store to look at t-shirts. It was a smaller store, with a clear target audience, as band and graphic tees decorated the walls. Really, Klaus wasn’t too surprised when it happened.</p><p>A guy, probably his late thirties, took one look at Klaus, still wearing his crop-top and skirt, and scowled. “Goddamn fags,” he muttered before attempting to brush past him.</p><p><em>Attempting</em>, being the key word.</p><p>Klaus was prepared to brush it off with a roll of the eyes, because he’d heard worse from better. But before the guy could so much as brush past Klaus, Lila was grabbing him and twisting him, one arm wrenched behind his back as he was shoved against the wall.</p><p>“What the <em>fuck </em>did you just say?” Lila snarled.</p><p>Klaus blinked.</p><p>“What the hell?” the man protested, somewhat desperately. “Get off me!”</p><p>“I think,” Lila began, her tone dangerously low, “you owe my friend an apology.”</p><p>(Ben would tell him to get Lila to stop. He wouldn’t approve. He <em>never</em> approved of unnecessary violence.</p><p>Ben wasn’t here.)</p><p>“Go on,” Klaus prodded, stepping closer, a slightly cold smile on his face. He wondered absentmindedly if Lila twisting the guy’s arm just one inch more would break it. “You heard her.”</p><p>“Jesus fucking Christ, I’m sorry!” the man spat out.</p><p>Klaus waited a moment longer, studying the man, his overgrown, shaggy hair, the desperately punk black ripped jeans and the AC/DC t-shirt. He shrugged at Lila, shoving his hands in his pockets and turning away.</p><p>There was a grunt of pain and a dull thud, followed by a hissed threat, before the man was stumbling quickly out of the store. Lila was standing beside him a moment later, wiping her hands off on her jeans like the man had dirtied them.</p><p>“Fucking bigots,” Lila grumbled. She caught his eyes. “I’m not going to fucking apologise so you can fuck off.”</p><p>“You have a fucking dirty mouth when pissed off,” Klaus informed her. “And I don’t expect you to.”</p><p>Lila nodded, still scowling after their new homophobic friend. A slow smile began to spread across Klaus’ face and she caught it, frowning at him.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You called me your friend!” Klaus beamed delightedly. “No take-backs!”</p><p>“You have the mental age of a child.”</p><p>There was no real venom to it, and Lila didn’t try to retract the title she’d gifted him in the moment.</p><p>Despite the iciness that always enveloped Klaus, the price of walking among the dead, a warm feeling was beginning to take root in his chest.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm only two weeks in and school is kicking my ass. </p><p>Thanks for reading! Leave a comment (:</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry, I spent like half an hour trying to figure out how to embed the image but I need to go sleep now. There's a link tho (:</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I got you something.”</p>
<p>Lila’s eyes flickered up to him, dryly amused, before returning to her bowl of noodles. “Oh, really?”</p>
<p>Klaus took a moment to let himself be amused too, because it wasn’t in his nature to give gifts. Lack of money and a lack of relationships, bar his ghostly brother, had eliminated that option for most of his life. Now look at him, gifting a woman jewellery.</p>
<p>(It wasn’t like that in the slightest.)</p>
<p>Klaus let the chain dangle from his fingers, offering it to Lila from across the coffee table. Curiously, Lila accepted it, holding it up into the light to examine it.</p>
<p>“Trying to one-up Diego?” Lila teased, almost absentmindedly as she took in the necklace.</p>
<p>
  
  <a href="https://imgur.com/LA1yqAz">https://imgur.com/LA1yqAz</a>
</p>
<p>It was unique, Klaus knew. He’d had to steal away from Lila and Sasha earlier that day to get it professionally engraved, in one of those high-end stores that Klaus had only begun to dare venture into. The pendant’s model mimicked a design well-known to Klaus – the planchette of a Ouija board, a pentagram and the word <strong>GOODBYE </strong>etched onto a silver surface. It, of course, differed from the usual Ouija aesthetic in that there wasn’t an accompanying <strong>HELLO </strong>or <strong>YES </strong>or <strong>NO</strong>, but Lila didn’t need to be welcoming the spirits or interacting with them. She just wanted them gone.</p>
<p>“My tattoos,” Klaus began hesitantly, in Lila’s silence. “Dad made me get them when I was younger. They helped to direct my powers. The perfect little Ouija board.”</p>
<p>“Of course, I’m not going to force you to get tattooed,” Klaus rambled on, flapping his hand dismissively. “But I figured something similar would help.”</p>
<p>Klaus fell silent as Lila lifted the chain to slip it over her head. Wordlessly, Lila turned to face where three ghosts had been making themselves known, wailing in the corner of the room. Lila raised her hand toward them, frowning, and a soft blue glow enclosed her fingers before all three ghosts disappeared at once.</p>
<p>“Holy shit!” Klaus laughed in delight. “That was <em>awesome</em>, Lila!”</p>
<p>To his dismay, Lila’s expression fell, and she leaned back into the sofa, pulling her legs up against her chest. Suddenly, she looked small to Klaus, curled up in the oversized jumper Sasha had talked her into, which was startling, because she had a personality as big as Klaus’.</p>
<p>“Why are you being so nice to me?” Lila asked quietly, staring down at her knees.</p>
<p>Klaus was stumped. “Why wouldn’t I be?”</p>
<p>Lila looked up, and Klaus was shocked to see she was crying, silent tears trailing down her face.</p>
<p>“Shit.” Klaus scrambled off the floor, around the coffee table and dropping to his knees beside Lila. “Can I hug you? Do you promise not to kill me if I do? Fuck, I’m hugging you.”</p>
<p>Klaus wrapped his arms around her tentatively, ready to withdraw if she told him to. Lila stiffened, going completely still and he immediately made to move away, but then she relaxed, sinking into his hold. Her tears were flowing faster now, but Klaus simply readjusted himself, hugging her more securely.</p>
<p>“I haven’t done anything to deserve you being so nice,” Lila explained into Klaus’ shoulder, her voice muffled and unsteady.</p>
<p>“You don’t need to,” Klaus soothed. “I’m a nice guy.”</p>
<p>“You’re an idiot,” Lila protested shakily. “Who the hell lets the woman who tried to kill their family into their apartment? I could’ve killed you! Do you have a death wish?”</p>
<p>Klaus inhaled sharply. Smiled sardonically into Lila’s hair. “You sound like Ben.”</p>
<p>Klaus focused on the warmth of Lila in his arms. It was… nice. Klaus had always been an affectionate person. But the few tolerant siblings he had, he saw once a week. Sasha wasn’t big on physical affection either.</p>
<p>Klaus hadn’t cared recently. Ever since Ben’s… <em>death</em>, he’d distanced himself from everyone. He hadn’t bothered banishing the spirits. He’d just let himself embrace the icy sensation of the dead.</p>
<p>“The only other person who was ever this nice to me was my- the Handler,” Lila stated, drawing back to glare at him accusingly through tears. “And she-” Lila cut herself off abruptly, like she couldn’t even voice it.</p>
<p>“She used you,” Klaus finished. “I get it.”</p>
<p>“<em>Do</em> you?”</p>
<p>“Well, no,” Klaus admitted. “Not entirely. But I know it’s hard to accept that sometimes people are just nice, and they don’t always want something from you in return. Okay?”</p>
<p>Klaus wanted to brush away Lila’s tears, the same way he would’ve done for Vanya, if she’d cried in front of him. He wasn’t sure he had the right. Instead, he briefly tightened the arm he still had around Lila in a gentle squeeze. “And what about Diego? I’m sure he was nice to you.”</p>
<p>“Diego’s an asshole,” Lila countered, but her lips twitched upwards ever so slightly.</p>
<p>“Damn right he is,” Klaus agreed, a bittersweet mix of affection and sorrow pooling in his chest. “But he cares, doesn’t he?”</p>
<p>
  <em>You stay in this body. We need someone responsible behind the wheel, okay?</em>
</p>
<p>Lila scoffed, roughly swiping away tears. “Until I betrayed him.”</p>
<p>Klaus tutted. “Do you really think he would’ve spent the past month going <em>crazy</em> looking for you if he didn’t care? He cares about you.” <em>Loves you</em>, Klaus thought, but didn’t add. (It wasn’t his place.) “I care about you. And after today, Sasha does too. You made a pretty good impression on them – they already want me to bring you around Carla’s.”</p>
<p>A sniff. “You care about me?”</p>
<p>“Obviously.”</p>
<p>Klaus liked people. He trusted easily and got invested in people far too quickly, and Ben had hated it, because it frequently got Klaus hurt. But it didn’t change the fact that he did.</p>
<p>“You’re tolerable,” Lila admitted.</p>
<p>Klaus smiled. “Good.”</p>
<p>This time, when Klaus went in for a hug, Lila didn’t stiffen. Instead, all the tension seemed to seep out of her. </p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Lila was right.</p>
<p>Klaus didn’t understand – not completely. He’d never had someone use him – emotionally manipulate him – for his powers. The closest would be his father, who’d only bought him for his powers. <strike>Or Ben, his favourite brother and friend, possessing him, taking over his body.</strike></p>
<p>Klaus didn’t understand. But he knew someone who did.</p>
<p>“I think you should meet my sister,” Klaus stated a few days later, sliding Lila her coffee over the counter.</p>
<p>Lila sipped at her coffee before responding. “Why?”</p>
<p>“I feel like you two have a lot in common,” Klaus said delicately.  </p>
<p>Lila scoffed. “Okay, which sister? I tried to kill them both.”</p>
<p>“Perfect! You can bond over that too!”</p>
<p>Lila raised her eyebrows at him, unimpressed. “The apocalypse-starter? You want me and her in the same room?”</p>
<p>Klaus shrugged. “Well, you’re on better terms with her than Allison. And Vanya’s like the least judgemental of my siblings. I asked her to make sure we wouldn’t run into anyone at the shopping centre the other day.”</p>
<p>A smirk tugged at Lila’s lips. “Is she the one Sasha was talking about?”</p>
<p>Klaus grinned. “Maybe.” He laughed. “She’s really nice though, I promise. And I think she’ll be able to relate to some of the stuff you’ve been through.”</p>
<p>Lila still hesitated, uncertainty flashing in her eyes.</p>
<p>“Trust me on this one,” Klaus requested. “If you feel uncomfortable, you can just teleport out and I’ll get Vanya to leave.”</p>
<p>Lila studied him for a long moment before agreeing. “Okay.”</p>
<p>Klaus beamed, bouncing on his heels once before clapping. “Great! I’ll ask her this Sunday.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“First thing you should know about Vanya,” Klaus started. He paused. “Well, not the like <em>first thing you should know</em> in general, but the first thing <em>you</em> – Lila – should know about Vanya, is that she has one ghost.”</p>
<p>Lila stared at him. “Are you fucking kidding me?”</p>
<p>Klaus winced. “Yeah, sorry. All the ghosts from the Commission seemed like they died too far away to figure out who killed them, and when you went all white and glowy…”</p>
<p>“They latched onto me.” Lila huffed, rolling her eyes. “Of fucking course.”</p>
<p>Klaus smiled apologetically. “Over the years, she’s had a few – there were these really creepy dead nannies that used to follow her around when we were kids, <em>ugh</em>. But nobody’s really had enough of a vendetta to stick around.”</p>
<p>“Except one,” Lila recalled, a note of curiosity in her tone. “Who’s the lucky bastard?”</p>
<p>Klaus grimaced. “His name is Leonard. Don’t bring him up to Vanya – I don’t want her to know he stuck around. I’ll let her tell you about him.”</p>
<p>Lila nodded, not pushing for details.</p>
<p>“So, do you want me to stay while you talk?” Klaus asked awkwardly.</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“If you feel uncomfortable at any time, just jump out – God knows Five does the same thing whenever he doesn’t like what we’re talking about.”</p>
<p>Lila winced before quickly clearing her expression. “Oh really?”</p>
<p>“After we got back, Luther thought we oughta give Five the Talk.”</p>
<p>Lila snorted immediately. “How’d he take it?”</p>
<p>Klaus grinned. “He smashed a bottle over Luther’s head before jumping out.” His tone turned wistful. “But I’ve never seen the little psycho go redder.”</p>
<p>Lila laughed outright at that and Klaus smiled at her affectionately.</p>
<p>Dave would’ve liked her, he realised. Lila was very similar to how he’d described his sister – loud and unapologetic and brash, but endearing all the same.</p>
<p>And suddenly he was thinking about Dave, who he’d barely thought of in <em>weeks</em>. Instantly, he felt guilty.</p>
<p>He loved Dave. Of course he did. Maybe some part of him always would. Who would’ve thought that he’d find his longest-term romantic relationship in the middle of a warzone in Vietnam?</p>
<p>Truthfully, he hadn’t thought about Dave recently because his mind had been occupied with Ben.</p>
<p>They were two ends of the same spectrum, Dave and Ben. Dave’s kindness and sincerity against Ben’s forcefulness and sarcasm. He’d loved them both dearly, in different ways. He’d had Ben with him every step of the way since their childhood, but ten months was long enough to unlearn Ben and memorise Dave. Only Dave had been so cruelly torn away from him, followed by Ben only a few years later.</p>
<p>Life liked to take away the pillars in Klaus’ life. First Five, then Ben, then Dave, then Ben, permanently.</p>
<p>Maybe he was destined to be alone.</p>
<p>The doorbell rang and Klaus blinked, turning to face Lila, who had stilled, a tight grip on her mug.</p>
<p>“She cried when we stepped on ants as kids,” Klaus offered, standing.</p>
<p>Lila blinked before a smile flickered across her lips. “Is that supposed to reassure me?”</p>
<p>Klaus shrugged, winking, before heading to the door. He opened it and beamed at Vanya. “Lila, it’s my favourite sister!” he called back to her. “What brings you around here, Vanny?”</p>
<p>Vanya laughed and stood on her tiptoes to kiss Klaus on the cheek before he let her in. “You invited me, Klaus.”</p>
<p>“<em>I invited her, not you</em>,” Klaus mumbled so that Vanya couldn’t hear, firmly closing the door in the face of Leonard’s spirit and pointedly looking away as Leonard merely walked through the door.</p>
<p>If Ben were here, he would’ve kicked Leonard’s ghostly ass.</p>
<p>“I’m Vanya,” his sister introduced herself to Lila, holding out her hand.</p>
<p>Lila shook the offered hand, a half-smirk on her lips. “Lila. Sorry for, you know, trying to kill you.”</p>
<p>Klaus winced. So, Lila was cutting straight to the chase. That, combined with the taunting lift of her lips, seemed almost as if she was deliberately trying to provoke Vanya.</p>
<p>His little sister merely smiled, shaking her head. “Don’t worry about it. If we kept track, most of my family wouldn’t be talking to me right now.”</p>
<p>Lila raised an eyebrow. “Klaus wasn’t kidding about that?”</p>
<p>Vanya shrugged, smiling wryly. “I have a bad history with starting apocalypses.”</p>
<p>Klaus dropped onto the couch beside Lila, leaning back and grinning at his sister. “Don’t worry, Van, we all have our addictions. Just gotta take it one day at a time.”</p>
<p>Vanya laughed, sitting down opposite them. Their siblings tended to tiptoe around the subject of Vanya causing the apocalypse. Klaus didn’t see the point. What had happened, happened. There wasn’t any pretending it didn’t. All they could do was accept it. (Accept it, but not quite move on. Not for Klaus, at least. How could he, when the bastard who had driven his little sister to cause the first apocalypse was sitting beside her on his couch, watching her with a possessive glint in his dead eyes?)</p>
<p>“It wasn’t your fault,” Klaus reminded her gently. “The apocalypse. You were manipulated.”</p>
<p>An almost sardonic smile played on Vanya’s lips at that. She turned her attention to Lila, the smile becoming kinder, more genuine. “Klaus mentioned that you might be able to relate to my experience. I haven’t really talked to most of my siblings about this – they wouldn’t understand. I’d like to tell you, if that’s alright.”</p>
<p>Klaus had never admired his little sister more. Beyond her powers, Vanya had a tendency to make herself small. There was something naturally unassuming about her, until you understood her kindness, her unwavering, steady patience and loyalty. She was not loud or abrasive, but she was kickass anyway.</p>
<p>She also didn’t lie to Lila. The woman didn’t need more manipulation as it was. Vanya had spoken to Klaus about Leonard, and only Klaus. He could understand, in a way. There had been people on the streets who he thought had cared about him, who he’d cared about, who had lied to him, manipulated him, until he found himself in deep trouble. And then the disappointment, anger, frustration from Ben, because when would Klaus stop <em>fucking</em> trusting people who only got him hurt?</p>
<p>Lila simply nodded. And Vanya began.</p>
<p>“It started when we were kids. My powers. You know how destructive they are – you’ve felt what they can do.” Lila nodded. “Well, they were too powerful for Dad – I don’t know if Klaus has told you about our father-”</p>
<p>“He’s a bastard,” Klaus interjected. “Don’t worry, I covered it.”</p>
<p>Vanya smiled, shaking her head. “Well, Dad decided to suppress my powers. Put me on ‘anxiety medication’ and had Allison rumour me to think I was ordinary.”</p>
<p>Lila blinked. “That’s messed up.”</p>
<p>Klaus snorted. “No shit. Parenting 101 – don’t fucking drug up four-year-olds.”</p>
<p>Vanya laughed shortly before continuing. “Well, I grew up as the only normal kid in a house full of superheroes. It was pretty awful. Dad never failed to remind me that there was nothing special about me – sometimes my siblings helped.”</p>
<p>“We were shitty to you,” Klaus affirmed. “And in my opinion, we fucking deserved The Book.”</p>
<p>“When I moved out, I wrote a book,” Vanya responded to Lila’s curious look. “About our childhood.”</p>
<p>“She dished the family’s dirty secrets,” Klaus articulated. “Took no prisoners doing it, too.”</p>
<p>Vanya shrugged. “That was about the last straw for my siblings. If they could tolerate me before, they hated me. And we didn’t speak for another decade until Dad’s funeral.”</p>
<p>A dry laugh, glancing down at her lap. “I really didn’t accomplish much in that time. Got a place in the orchestra. Began teaching violin. Didn’t really make any lasting relationships of any kind.”</p>
<p>Vanya looked up now, at them. “And then I met Leonard.”</p>
<p>The ghost of Leonard smiled, attempting to place a hand on Vanya’s knee. “It’s okay, Vanya. I’m here for you.”</p>
<p>And that was about fucking enough for Klaus. His hands flared blue and Leonard was propelled backwards through the walls, the <em>bastard</em>.</p>
<p>“Oh,” Lila said quietly, and he knew she’d made the connection.</p>
<p>Vanya had paused, frowning concernedly at him. “Everything alright, Klaus?”</p>
<p>Klaus glanced down at his hands in surprise as if just noticing he’d used his powers, before smiling apologetically. “My bad. Keep going, Van.”</p>
<p>Vanya’s frown cleared and she nodded in assent. “I met Leonard after my father’s funeral. I teach violin, and one day he showed up.” She paused, let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Like I mentioned, I didn’t have any real relationships with anyone. I’d grown up hearing my father’s constant reminders that I was nothing but <em>ordinary</em>.” With that word, Klaus noted the slightest ripple on the surface of his coffee.</p>
<p>“Leonard was the first person to treat me like I was special,” Vanya explained, smiling bitterly. “He made me this beautiful wooden sculpture of myself. He encouraged me to audition for first chair in the orchestra, and he was the first person I told when I got it. He was always so supportive and caring, and like nothing I’d ever experienced before.”</p>
<p>And wasn’t that a fucking punch to the gut? He’d neglected his little sister so much when they were kids that the first creep who came along and had a few nice words for Vanya had her in the palm of his hand.</p>
<p>Vanya paused, that same bitter smile on her lips. “I think I loved him,” she admitted. “Or at least, some version of him… He made me feel special. Like I was worth something.”</p>
<p>This was why Vanya couldn’t talk to their siblings about Leonard. They didn’t – wouldn’t – understand what it was like to love someone who hurt you so much. <strike>Even when it was your own sibling.</strike></p>
<p>“You’re worth the world, Van,” Klaus said quietly. “Don’t ever forget that.”</p>
<p>Vanya smiled at him, but there were tears in her eyes. She didn’t let them fall.</p>
<p>“When we first realised I had powers, he offered to take me to his family’s cabin so we could figure it out together. At first it was good. He was able to show me how to control my powers in a way that made sense. But everything unravelled pretty quickly.”</p>
<p>Vanya smiled wryly at her lap. “The audition for the first chair – Leonard had murdered the last violinist. And to trigger my powers, he paid some guys to harass us. I ended up killing two and he later killed the last. I accidentally nearly killed Allison and he dragged me away from her. When I found out that he’d known about my powers all along and was using me to get revenge on the Academy, I killed him.”</p>
<p>There was silence after Vanya finished, and she stared at them expectantly, waiting for some kind of reaction.</p>
<p>“Your ex was a fucking psychopath and Sissy was a major upgrade,” Klaus informed her, to break the silence. “When in doubt, the gayer the better.”</p>
<p>Vanya smiled. “I’ve been trying to go with that.”</p>
<p>“You- you loved him?” Lila questioned hesitantly.</p>
<p>Vanya nodded patiently. “I think so. Even if I ended up hating him in the end, and the Leonard I loved was just a version he made up to manipulate me.”</p>
<p>Lila flinched at that. But she nodded. And nodded again. Her hands were trembling in her lap.</p>
<p>“She raised me,” Lila explained, the words falling out quickly. “After my parents died – after she had them killed. She was my mother – the one who looked after me and cared for me, and lov-” she stumbled over the word, like she couldn’t quite get it out.</p>
<p>“Loved you,” Vanya finished quietly. “Maybe she did love you. Maybe Leonard did love me. But in the end, it was just about our powers.”</p>
<p>“She was the only person I could trust growing up – the only person I could depend on.” Lila was crying now, silent tears falling down her face. <em>The only person I loved</em>, Klaus heard in her silence.</p>
<p>Klaus felt like he shouldn’t be here, in this clearly private moment. He was no good in these situations. <strike>Ben would know what to do. </strike>But he leaned over and wrapped his arms around Lila, hesitantly, then firmly when she didn’t push him away. The couch dipped and Vanya was on Lila’s other side, gently taking her hand.</p>
<p>“When you’re completely alone in the world, it’s very easy to love the first person to show you any kindness,” Vanya stated softly. “But the hard part is over now. All that’s left is to move on. You get the chance to be stronger than before. You didn’t deserve what happened to you, but you never really needed a crutch to lean on. You’ve got yourself to depend on, and you’ve got us, if you want.”</p>
<p>That was something Klaus could understand and agree with.</p>
<p>“You’re a fucking badass, Lila,” he pulled back to inform her. “All my shitty rehab therapists would tell you that you need to give yourself some credit because you’re fucking strong, but you’ve also got us as your support network if you need it.”</p>
<p>“We didn’t deserve it,” Vanya asserted. “And now we show them that we never needed them in the first place.”</p>
<p>Lila drew in a shaky breath then straightened, wiping away her tears, a new fiery determination in her eyes. “You’re right.”</p>
<p>Maybe because Klaus had been preoccupied and his concentration had slipped, but at that moment, as Vanya reached for her tea, a voice sounded to his right.</p>
<p>“Vanya, honey.” Leonard was stepping forward, reaching out to place a hand on Vanya’s shoulder, a look of utmost concern on his face that made Klaus want to slap him.</p>
<p>Then suddenly, Lila’s hands were burning blue, but her eyes were glowing white, and Leonard was <em>screaming </em>(and oh <em>fuck</em>, this was it, he was finally crossing into insanity like all spirits did eventually) and he was <em>burning</em>, a whiteish-blue fire igniting him – not the blue of Klaus’ powers, instead streaked with white. And Klaus watched, in a mixture of shock and horror as Leonard’s ghost burned and <em>burned</em> until there was nothing left of it at all.</p>
<p>Reflexively, Klaus reached out with his powers to see if he could sense Leonard, lingering at the edge of a banishment. But he wasn’t there. He wasn’t there at all. He was gone.</p>
<p>Klaus turned to Lila to find his own amazement mirrored in her expression, the white in her eyes fading to normal. But then Vanya glanced up from her mug and noticed Lila’s hands glowing. They both schooled their expressions and reassured her that Lila’s powers acted up like that, and neither of them spoke a word about it for the duration of Vanya’s visit.</p>
<p>But still. Lila hadn’t just banished the spirit like Klaus had taught her. She’d forced it to move on. (To hell – definitely hell for that bastard.) It was something he’d only dreamt of doing. And it had been done.</p>
<p>Neither of them spoke a word about it while Vanya remained. But there was a new sense of hope in the air.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>By the way, I KNOW this story isn't my best work, and it absolutely means the world that you're all being so kind in the comments (:</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So tired right now.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seamlessly, Vanya was integrated into their lives.</p><p>She joined them on their shopping trips with Sasha and would buy a coffee or a cake or a slice from the coffee shop at the end of Klaus’ shift, only to walk back to the apartment with him and offer whatever treat she’d bought to Lila. She was chatting with Sasha over the counter and she was talking to Lila on the couch and she was cooking them dinner with all the fancy equipment Klaus didn’t understand (and then promptly insisting he learn too when he made the mistake of mentioning that).</p><p>Klaus loved it. He’d never been this close to one of his (living) siblings before. <em>This is what a real family does</em>, he concluded privately. This was what he’d been missing out on for some thirty or so years.</p><p>And it was fantastic to see Lila’s world expand that little bit more too. First she’d just had Klaus. Then Sasha. And now Vanya too.</p><p>Lila seemed happier too. She was smiling more. Both that cocky grin that made frequent appearances, and a softer, more sincere smile. At Klaus pushing a mug of hot chocolate over the counter to her. At Sasha shoving an outfit into her hands and declaring it had made them think of her when they saw it and she better fucking try it on because it was going to look fantastic. At Vanya as she insisted that Lila know how to cook at least one meal for when Klaus inevitably burned their next dinner.</p><p>It got to the point where one day, as Klaus was getting ready to leave for work, Lila informed him that she was grabbing coffee with Vanya while he was out.</p><p>“What?” Lila snapped, after a moment of him staring at her in surprise.</p><p>Klaus shook himself out of his shock to smile at her, clasping a hand to his chest. “Can’t I just be happy that you’re seeing other people?” And because he was Klaus, he shot her a wink.</p><p>Lila wrinkled her nose. “I’m dating your brother, you idiot. And Vanya’s not my type.”</p><p>“And it would also break poor Sasha’s heart,” Klaus mourned. “I don’t know what I’ll tell them. I don’t know how you could do this to them, Lila.”</p><p>Lila shoved at his shoulder and snatched the doughnut from his plate (a breakfast he hoped Lila would <em>not</em> mention to Vanya), taking a bite. “You’re going to be late to work. Hurry up before the little demon comes kicking down the door.”</p><p>Klaus winced at the mention of Five. His regular jibes at Klaus on Sunday dinners weren’t slowing, unfortunately, and his scheduled check-ins with his family hadn’t eased. Turns out, even if it’s the most logical option, if your 58-year-old little brother isn’t satisfied with your security, he’ll attempt to insult you to safety. And he’d most definitely be at the apartment within seconds (though Klaus doubted he’d would bother breaking down the door – teleportation is far more convenient) if Klaus turned up late.</p><p>“He still giving you shit on family bonding night?” Lila questioned amusedly.</p><p>Klaus scoffed. “Family night, over the phone, at work, two days ago, yesterday, today, tomorrow…”</p><p>Lila laughed. “Well, that’s what you get for inviting an assassin into your home.”</p><p>Klaus threw his hands into the air. “<em>Why</em> do you two agree on this? You’re literally the assassin I invited into my home! If I <em>wanted</em> someone to judge my life choices, I’d just ask B-”</p><p>
  <em>Ben.</em>
</p><p>Klaus grimaced and snatched his doughnut back from Lila, who had raised her eyebrows at him, but said nothing about his slip.</p><p>“Don’t have too much fun without me,” he warned before leaving her with a wave.</p><p>At least, Klaus ruminated, Lila was able to bring Five up in conversation without flinching now. He wondered whether it was because of Sasha’s frequent mockery of his brother, or Lila’s long talks with Vanya or even Klaus’ embarrassing stories about the little psycho.</p><p>Whatever the cause, it was progress that Klaus was delighted to see.</p><p>Unfortunately, that was the extent of the progress.</p><p>Vanya told him, on one of their walks back to the apartment, not to push Lila to talk to their family. She was still working through things, some of it Hargreeves-related, some of it not, and she didn’t need the extra pressure.</p><p>Klaus understood, even if it meant he had to deal with Five’s version of overprotectiveness. (On the upside, at least now he had Vanya to back him up against Five on Sundays, and she frequently joined Five for his morning coffee run / Klaus harassment session.)</p><p>Lila shouldn’t have to deal with her family’s murderer. Not unless she wanted to, and certainly not when it was still an open wound. What she needed was some closure, and not from her family’s killer.</p><p>And <em>that</em> was a thought.</p><p>An idea began to form in his mind. One that he deliberated and nurtured and didn’t dare voice aloud until Sunday rolled around, bringing with it another family dinner.</p><p>Five was predictably annoyed when Klaus dragged him away from their family after dinner and up to Ben’s room for some privacy. He opened his mouth, probably to say something snarky or rude, but Klaus beat him to it.</p><p>“Tell me about the flower merchants.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Hi.”</p><p>Lila tilted her head at him, kicking off her shoes at the door. “Have you just been waiting for me to come back like a creep?”</p><p>Klaus couldn’t help but grin. “Well, it <em>is</em> past your curfew.”</p><p>Lila wrinkled her nose at him as she pulled off her coat. “Lost track of the time. Fuck off.”</p><p>Klaus laughed but quickly sobered, standing. “So.”</p><p>“So,” Lila agreed, raising her eyebrows at him. “Vanya mentioned you wanted to talk about serious shit?”</p><p>“Unfortunately,” Klaus sighed. “Well, kinda fortunately. Hopefully.”</p><p>A roll of the eyes. “Because that clears things up.”</p><p>Klaus winced. “Okay. So, I just need you to know that this isn’t permanent and they can go back easily without my help. We tested this when I was a kid.”</p><p>Lila narrowed her eyes. “Klaus…”</p><p>Klaus gently reached out to take her arm. Lila let him guide her toward his closed bedroom door. It was a show of trust that she remained completely still as he reached out to push the door open, not teleporting away as a precaution.</p><p>Klaus looked nervously at the pair of ghosts waiting patiently in his room. The couple looked up at the door opening and both broke into smiles at the sight of the woman next to him.</p><p>For a second it didn’t seem to click for Lila, staring impassively, if not with a hint of confusion, at the couple.</p><p>Then the man held out his arms, smiling warmly. “<em>Piya</em>.”</p><p>Lila’s eyes widened and suddenly she was rushing across the room and Klaus just managed to manifest her father before she fell into his arms. Her mother joined them, smiling serenely as she affectionately stroked a hand over Lila’s hair.</p><p>“I’ll just be outside,” Klaus informed them, smiling softly before closing the door behind them.</p><p>He was sure now that it had been a good decision. Five hadn’t been sure and neither had Vanya, but she’d agreed to take Lila out for the day anyway, and make sure she had a good time so that she was emotionally prepared for this meeting.</p><p>It was different for Lila. She’d had a few years with her parents before she was <strike>acquired</strike> adopted. Though he wasn’t sure how much of them she remembered, she clearly placed a great importance on them.</p><p>Klaus had never known his mother. She’d sold him to Reginald though, so he didn’t have the highest opinion of her. But still – he wondered what it would’ve been like, if he’d grown up in a normal household.</p><p>He snorted, thinking of his dysfunctional family. Somehow, it was more comforting to think that no matter what, they were destined to meet, destined to end up like this. His own fucked-up little kismet<em>.</em></p><p>On the other hand, Lila had had a chance. She’d had a shot at a normal childhood – might not have even discovered her powers at any point in her life. But she’d had it cruelly torn away from her.</p><p>By the time Lila exited his room and dropped onto the couch next to him, the tea he’d made for her was stone cold. She shifted closer to him, and he wrapped an arm around her, letting her drop her head onto his shoulder. He could sense that her parents had returned to wherever they’d come from. Klaus waited patiently for Lila to speak first.</p><p>“Have you ever been in love?”</p><p>Klaus was caught off guard. He’d been expecting her to bring up her parents, or her childhood or question why he’d summoned them in the first place.</p><p>But he smiled gently. <em>Dave. </em>“Once,” he admitted.</p><p>“Tell me about them?”</p><p>Such a mild, unassuming question. Klaus wondered if she knew that all of his relationships, romantic or not, ended in tragedy.</p><p>He laughed softly. “Okay. So, I met Dave in 1968 before the first apocalypse. Stole a Commission briefcase after they tortured me and ended up in the middle of the Vietnam War. Dave was…” he sighed… “a soldier. And he was damn good at it too.</p><p>“It became obvious pretty quickly that I’d had no training, so Dave offered to teach me. Believe me, Lila, I had <em>no</em> issue spending all those long hours alone with him. Those <em>muscles</em>.”</p><p>Lila laughed and Klaus smiled affectionately down at her.</p><p>“We first kissed in a club in Saigon. It was the 60s, so we had to hide it from our squad. But Dave… <em>God</em> he was amazing, Lila. He was so kind and beautiful, and always so sweet to me.”</p><p>“And you loved him?”</p><p>Klaus smiled. “He was like nobody I’d seen before… I think I still do.”</p><p>His smile wavered. “I was in Vietnam for about ten months. I stayed for Dave. But then we were on the frontlines and he got shot. He didn’t make it.”</p><p>“Shit,” Lila breathed, pressing her head more firmly into his shoulder, shuffling closer. “I’m sorry, Klaus.”</p><p>“It was war,” Klaus said softly. “I should’ve expected it.”</p><p>“And you can’t-?” Lila trailed off, but he knew what she was asking.</p><p>“Maybe three days after I came back from Vietnam, the world ended and Five sent us to the 1960s. I did find Dave – tried to talk him out of enlisting.” A long pause. “But he wasn’t my Dave. He wasn’t ready for me. His homophobic uncle convinced him to punch me in the face, and he only ended up enlisting earlier.”</p><p>“<em>Fuck</em>, that sucks.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Klaus agreed. “But I’ve sort of made my peace it. Some part of me will always love Dave.”</p><p>Dave who was strong and kind and beautiful. Whose laugh had quickly become Klaus’ favourite sound, and whose smile made his heart skip a beat. Dave, sitting an agonising few feet away, grinning at another soldier as he told them a story. Dave, sneaking kisses from Klaus around corners and behind bushes. Dave, tilting his head back in the sun, dirty and grimy, but somehow the picture of an angel.</p><p>Beautiful Dave, who had loved him.</p><p>Lila’s voice broke him from his thoughts. “The Handler sent me to spy on Diego when he first got sent to the loony bin.”</p><p>Ah. That was where Lila had been going with this conversation.</p><p>(<em>The Handler</em>, he noted. Not Mom.)</p><p>“It was the longest mission I’d had alone yet. Diego and I weren’t really close at first. It wasn’t a mission requirement. But one day, a nurse got handsy and Diego stepped in before I could break his arm.”</p><p>Lila paused. “I could’ve kicked that douche’s ass. But it was weird, having someone else protect me. I’d never had that. The Handler’s idea of family bonding was unloading a machine gun at me.”</p><p>“Dad’s was pitting us against each other until one of us needed medical attention.”</p><p>“Your brother’s an idiot,” Lila continued, affectionate amusement in her tone. “He’d always try to bullshit the shrink into thinking he was ready for release, but he’s a shitty actor and it never worked. It was cute watching him try.”</p><p>Of course the assassin that had successfully infiltrated their group would find Diego’s attempts at deception <em>cute</em>.</p><p>“He was weirdly determined. Every week he was coming up with new ways to escape the institution – some of which, I had to stop, don’t tell him – just so he could save JFK. The dumbass didn’t think about how badly it would affect the timeline – he just wanted to save who he considered a good man.”</p><p>“He’s never been known for his brains,” Klaus assured her.</p><p>“We slept together after I patched up his stab wound.” (Klaus snickered.) “Shut up. And I realised sometime after that, that I loved him.”</p><p>Klaus smiled into Lila’s hair. Good to know his big brother wasn’t going to get his heart broken anytime soon.</p><p>“Of course, after that I betrayed him, kidnapped him and tried to kill his family,” Lila finished defeatedly. “So I wouldn’t blame him if he doesn’t feel the same way.”</p><p>Klaus laughed, gently tightening the arm around Lila’s shoulders. “Lila, the asshole hasn’t <em>stopped</em> harassing me about you. Every Sunday, it’s <em>how’s Lila going? Is there anything I can do? Can I see her?</em>”</p><p>“Really?” He could hear the smile in Lila’s voice.</p><p>“Really. The asshole doesn’t even care what I’ve been up to.”</p><p>Lila laughed, warmth and affection. They were silent for a long moment.</p><p>“I think I’m ready. To see Diego. To see your family.”</p><p>A slow grin spread across Klaus’ face. “Really?”</p><p>“Really.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a dash of angst (:</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Klaus wrinkled his nose as the unpleasant mixture of body odour and men’s deodorant hit him. The boxing gymnasium was dimly lit, the large, dusty windows that presumably let in light during the day only showing darkness. Sparse bulbs around the edge of the gymnasium offered minimal lighting, but only served to further draw his attention to the centre of the gym, where harsh white light highlighted the boxing ring.</p><p>At least, Klaus concluded dryly, he’d have enough light to see Diego fight by. He couldn’t say the place offered much else.</p><p>The place was packed with people, mostly gruff-looking men with tattoos who looked ready to kill at a moment’s notice. Abruptly, Klaus was glad he’d decided against wearing a skirt. He didn’t think it would go down too well here.</p><p>Regardless, there was a buzz to the air. An undeniable atmosphere alive with excitement and anticipation. Loud, rambunctious talk and laughter filled the room along with the sound of clinking beer bottles.</p><p>Klaus glanced at Lila only to find her looking strangely invigorated by the environment, grinning at their dingy surroundings. She was wearing an outfit that was closer to the one Klaus had first seen her in, when they met in that barn, but more casual. More her. Navy skinny jeans instead of black. A bigger black leather jacket that hung open, with a dark leopard print top underneath.</p><p>“Oh, I like this place,” Lila remarked approvingly as they found a spot close to the ring. (There weren’t even any seats – Klaus was unimpressed.)</p><p>“Really?” Klaus said dubiously. But he couldn’t deny the almost contagious atmosphere was enlivening. He grinned at Lila.</p><p>Lila nodded, an excited light in her eyes.</p><p>“Maybe you could try boxing here,” he suggested, wanting to prolong that look on Lila’s face.</p><p>“Do you think they do women’s boxing?”</p><p>Klaus tilted his head in confusion. “That’s a thing? I was just thinking, with or without powers, if you had to fight any guy in this room, my money would be on you.”</p><p>Lila shoved him lightly, but there was a pleased expression on her face. She then quickly hushed him as an announcer’s voice came overhead, introducing their fighters for tonight.</p><p>Klaus rolled his eyes as <em>The Kraken </em>was announced. He wasn’t sure whether it was weird, keeping the superhero name from when they were kids out of some sort of twisted nostalgia, or good, reclaiming the name and making it his own. Either could be true for Diego. He was like that about their childhood.</p><p>And then Diego was slipping into the ring, all bravado and swagger to the cheers of the crowd. Klaus went ahead and cheered for him too to help boost his ego a little.</p><p>Then Diego’s gaze fell on them, the grin on his face softening as his eyes traced over Lila. He nodded at her, a brief expression of tenderness and adoration and love, and when Klaus glanced at Lila, the same look was on her face.</p><p>And even as Diego’s attention was forced away by the announcement of the other fighter, Klaus knew that these past two months of contentment, <em>happiness</em>, that he’d stolen were coming to an end.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Klaus stared up at the ceiling, laying on his bed.</p><p>His door was open. He’d taken to leaving it open at night in the past few weeks. Though, logically, he knew a locked door wouldn’t stop an assassin that could teleport, he used to prefer the illusion of privacy, of safety. Lately, he and Lila combined were enough to banish all the ghosts in the apartment for at least an hour until they could sleep, so it was quiet enough that he could hear Lila snoring in the living room from his bed. The reminder of another living human had been nice.</p><p>But now, Lila was gone. On a date somewhere with Diego. He didn’t expect her back.</p><p>So it wasn’t quiet. Klaus hadn’t bothered to banish the spirits. They’d always bothered Lila more than they’d bothered him, anyway.</p><p>
  <em>Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus.</em>
</p><p>Lila hadn’t noticed, but quite a few of her ghosts had taken to Klaus, and preferred to follow him around <em>screaming</em> and <em>hissing</em> and <em>groaning </em>and <em>bleeding</em> now.</p><p>That was good. It would make it easier on Lila when she left.</p><p>It was funny how he always ended up here. Alone, with just the dead for company. Everyone would always leave him. He was destined for loneliness.</p><p>Ultimately, it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter at all how when Lila made him coffee or tea it was a complete toss-up as to whether it had sugar or salt, but whenever he came home from a family night, she always had an untampered hot chocolate waiting for him. It didn’t matter how on more than one of her coffee runs with Vanya, she’d returned and thrown a shopping bag on his bed, with some bold, gaudy <em>beautiful </em>item of clothing. It didn’t matter how Lila smiled at him softly when he slid his attempt at making breakfast across the counter to her. <strike>It didn’t even matter that he’d started to think of her as family.</strike></p><p>It didn’t matter, because she’d leave anyway. Just like everyone did eventually.</p><p>And this was the truth he’d been dancing around for weeks now. Lila had come to him because she needed his help. Because his stupid powers had made her life a waking nightmare. And she didn’t need his help anymore. Maybe she still needed him to banish her entire horde of ghosts, but she could banish enough of them that it was bearable.</p><p>She didn’t need him anymore. And soon she’d just be another name in the long list of people that had left him.</p><p>Klaus didn’t notice as the crowd of ghosts thinned until the bed dipped and there was a warm weight by his hip. Lila frowned down at him.</p><p>“What the fuck are you doing?”</p><p>Before Klaus could respond, ask why she was here, she shook her head. “Never mind, I can’t hear you over this racket.”</p><p>She scowled at the room of ghosts, her hands igniting blue as one by one, they were propelled out of the room. Eventually, it was down to a small handful of quieter ghosts.</p><p>“That’s better,” Lila remarked.</p><p>“I thought you were on a date with Diego,” is all Klaus could think to say.</p><p>She raised an eyebrow at him. “I was. And now it’s over.”</p><p>“You didn’t- go back to his place with him?”</p><p>“Nah. We both decided we should take things slower this time.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>So maybe he’d have a few more days, even weeks, if he was lucky, with Lila staying at his apartment. That wasn’t so bad. It might hurt more later, but he was used to it at this point. He’d cherish some extra time.</p><p>Lila reached out to touch his arm, her brow furrowing. “You’re freezing, Klaus. Shove over.”</p><p>Lila clambered onto the bed, pushing at him until he scooted over, before laying beside him, easing an arm around him. Klaus froze, because <em>that’s Diego’s fucking girlfriend </em>and <em>she’s in my bed</em> and <em>what the fuck</em> before he realised why Lila was comfortable with this.</p><p>Almost resignedly, and expecting Lila to jerk away the second he finished, Klaus said, “You know I’m pan, not gay, right?”</p><p>If anything, Lila inched closer. “And you know I’m bi, not straight, right?” she countered. “Shut up. I know you won’t try anything.”</p><p>Oh. That was… that was okay, Klaus decided. And he wriggled closer into the strong arm wrapped around his shoulders, seeking warmth. They were silent for a moment.</p><p>“I used to do this with Ben, you know?” Klaus admitted, thinking of all the times Ben and he had shared a bed when the ghosts got too much, and he needed proof that not everything was cold and dead.</p><p>Lila hesitated. “Tell me about him?” she asked quietly.</p><p>Yet another subject he’d been dancing around. But Lila could know. He could trust her with this.</p><p>“Ben was our brother,” Klaus explained. And after all these months of tiptoeing around the topic with his siblings, of Ben’s absence feeling like a missing limb and talking into thin air, the words just spilled out of him. “He died when we were kids, after Five left. He was always the best of us. Kind, patient, never got pissed when I climbed into his bed freezing and covered in dirt and cobwebs after a few days in the mausoleum.”</p><p>And this was the version his siblings knew. Their favourite brother, who held the family together like glue. The one they went to for kind words to soothe the sting of their failures. Not someone to fear, despite his powers. A gentle soul. A sweet, pure-hearted boy.</p><p>“He sounds nice,” Lila offered hesitantly.</p><p>Klaus couldn’t help it. A bitter laugh escaped his lips.</p><p>“Or not,” Lila concluded.</p><p>“Nono,” Klaus was quick to correct her. “Ben was… wonderful. But after he died, I was the only one who he could talk to. And the others didn’t believe me because I was always high. So, for <em>years</em> I was the only person who knew he existed. And I spent all my time getting high.”</p><p>Klaus laughed dryly. “You wouldn’t be so nice if your only tie to the living world spent their time throwing their life away.”</p><p>He softened. “But it wasn’t all bad. He was still my brother. He always looked out for me and tried to warn me against anything or anyone dangerous. Every single withdrawal or rehab, he’d stay by my side and try to ward off the nastier ghosts. He was a sarcastic little prick by the end, but he was mine.”</p><p>The fondness in his tone faded. “Then Five sent us to the 60s.”</p><p>“We figured out that I could make Ben corporeal just before we time-travelled,” Klaus explained. “So, when we got to the 60s, I got sober. Dazzled some rich people with my powers, started an alternative spiritual community.”</p><p>“You started a cult,” Lila said flatly.</p><p>“That’s not what I said.”</p><p>“You’re unbelievable.”</p><p>“Thanks. Well, anyway, I was manifesting Ben all the time, but it never seemed to be <em>enough</em> for him. I guess I hit the end of his patience, after all those years of him chasing after me. The final straw was 1963, when I tried to save my little <em>Vietnam fling</em>-”</p><p>“Don’t call him that,” Lila interrupted sharply. “He wasn’t a fucking fling, Klaus.”</p><p>“Ben’s words, not mine.”</p><p>A pause. “Your brother’s kind of a dick.”</p><p>Klaus let out a shaky laugh. “Yeah. But the real kicker was when the little shitheel figured out he could possess me.” He paused. “I let him in. Eventually. He was waiting for me to fall asleep so he could do it, so I figured I may as well set some ground rules and let him in.” A bitter laugh. “He broke all of them.”</p><p>Klaus shuddered. “It’s <em>awful</em> being in the passenger seat of your own body. I could still see and feel everything he was doing with my body, but I couldn’t <em>control</em> it. I had to sit by and <em>watch</em> while he got it on with his crush in <em>my </em>body.”</p><p>He realised he was crying and wiped at his cheek. “He said he didn’t regret it. I told him he could stay for <em>ten minutes</em> and he took my body for a joyride, breaking every rule we agreed on.”</p><p>“That’s <em>horrible</em>,” Lila spat out, disgust and horror in her tone. “Who the fuck does that?”</p><p>“When I finally pushed him out, he said he didn’t regret it,” Klaus said quietly. “I guess in his eyes, it must’ve been payback for all those years he had to watch me throw my life away.”</p><p>“That’s not the same thing!” Lila interrupted sharply. “At least it’s your own life you’re throwing away. He doesn’t get to do that shit with <em>your</em> body.”</p><p>Klaus shrugged. “Before we ever got to talk about it, he died <em>again</em>. Vanya had some sort of dissociative episode after being tortured by the FBI and lost control of her powers. He was a fucking ghost, and the idiot got himself killed <em>again</em> saving our lives by possessing her, because he had to be a noble shit like that.” He exhaled shakily. “What he did was fucking messed up, and we never got to talk about it.”</p><p>Lila curled more around him – the comforting presence of warmth and safety that she had somehow become in the past month without him noticing. (And with her arm wrapped around him, Klaus suspected that she was the only thing still holding him together.)</p><p>“I can’t talk to my family about it,” Klaus continued hollowly. “I was a dick the week of the apocalypse in the 60s and I told them that Ben hadn’t come with me when we time-travelled.” A familiar swell of guilt. “I- I didn’t know. I was going to tell them <em>eventually</em>. But so much shit was happening, I didn’t get another chance, and then he was gone.”</p><p>Klaus giggled weakly. “God, they’re all so <em>pissed </em>at me. Because I kept Ben from them. Because I’m so fucking selfish. I’ve had Ben for<em> years</em> and I couldn’t even share him with them the one week before he died. They don’t ever say it, but I can tell. They can’t stand it whenever I bring up Ben. No wonder Diego told him to keep possessing me.”</p><p>“He did <em>what?</em>”</p><p>Klaus froze. “Shit. Forget I said that.”</p><p>“Klaus, what the <em>hell</em>?”</p><p>“I’m not trying to cause issues between you guys,” Klaus rambled. “I’m sure Diego didn’t even understand what was happening properly, you know how much of an idiot he can be sometimes-”</p><p>“Stop making excuses for him,” Lila snapped. She took in a deep breath. “Okay. We’re not breaking up over this, so you don’t need to worry. But I’m going to rip the shit out of him for doing that to you.”</p><p>Klaus’ lips tugged upwards in a smile, warmth blossoming in his chest<em>. So this is what it’s like having someone on my side.</em> </p><p>The smile disappeared quickly though. “They’re not wrong though. They should be mad that I kept Ben from them. Just like…” Klaus swallowed thickly. “Just like I’m keeping you from them.”</p><p>“Oh, fuck no.” Lila wasn’t lying down anymore, propping herself up on an elbow to lock eyes with him. “Klaus, you’re not keeping me from them. You couldn’t fucking stop me from seeing them if I wanted to. <em>I’m</em> the one who wasn’t ready to see them when I first came to you, and I was so fucking grateful when you understood that and kept them away. I couldn’t stand seeing them until now. And you’re the only reason I can.”</p><p>“Oh,” Klaus whispered.</p><p>Lila smiled down at him, fond exasperation in her expression. “Yes, you idiot.”</p><p>She hugged him then, briefly but firmly. “What happened with Ben was fucked. If you ever wanna talk more about it, you can come to me, okay?”</p><p>“Okay,” Klaus agreed, and meant it.</p><p>Lila squeezed him once more before untangling herself and sliding off the bed. She exited the room, only pausing at the doorway for a few seconds. “Night, Klaus. Don’t forget to call your family before the little demon flips his shit.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We're nearing the end of this story, and I'm not sure how to feel about it. I'd honestly hoped to have started writing my next big TUA story idea (which is a banger btw) by now, but between work and school, I'm struggling to keep up with editing these chapters before I post them. </p><p>Thanks for all your support (:</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Oh, good. You’re not dead.”</p><p>“You need a new greeting,” Klaus complained, straightening his dress. “It’s getting old.”</p><p>
  <em>KLAUS, KLAUS, KLAUS, LILA, LILA, KLAUS, LILA, KLAUS, LILA, LILA, LILA, KLAUS.</em>
</p><p>Five’s attention was already off him, narrowing in on the woman beside him. “And you brought the crazy lady. This will be an interesting dinner.”</p><p>Five started to turn, but paused, looking Klaus over. “Nice dress.” He teleported away, likely to inform their other siblings, and took with him his horde of ghosts.</p><p>Lila blinked. “Wow.”</p><p>“I know,” Klaus said softly, not entering the house yet. He’d warned her before they left. “The little psycho’s killed a lot of people, huh?” Enough to fill the entrance hall and enough to begin trickling out of the door and outside, the second Five arrived.</p><p>More than Lila.</p><p>“Have any moved on?”</p><p>Klaus grimaced. “Not enough that I can tell. Violent deaths make vengeful spirits.” He glanced at her. “You sure you’re up for this?”</p><p>Lila’s eyes were uneasy and there was a slight tremble to her hands before she tucked them into her pockets and offered a shrug. “Worst case scenario, I grab Diego and we teleport out of here.”</p><p>“Lilaaa, you wouldn’t just leave me to the <em>mercy </em>of my family like that, would you?”</p><p>That was enough to garner a smirk from Lila before she hesitantly stepped into the mansion. Klaus brushed past her, turning and walking backwards to gesture grandly at the room.</p><p>“Welcome to our shithole of a home.”</p><p>“Shithole is not the word I would use to describe it,” Lila remarked, though she seemed unimpressed with the mansion’s grandeur.  </p><p>“Perks of not growing up here,” Klaus commented.</p><p>He took the moment to run his eyes over Lila’s outfit. It was the same leather jacket that she’d worn to Diego’s match, but she’d paired it with a plain white top and light jeans this time. She looked casual. Comfortable. That was what mattered.</p><p>Klaus, on the other hand, had finally broken out the dress Sasha had found for him, a majestic outfit patterned with colourful leaves. Lila had grinned at the sight of him when he exited his room and immediately dragged him back in to help him pick out jewellery and shoes. Klaus decidedly did not look casual. But he was the most comfortable he’d been in months.  </p><p>“Let’s get this over with then,” Klaus sighed, leading the way to the lounge room.</p><p>The second he slid the door open, all eyes were on him. No, not him. Lila.</p><p>“Klaus!” Allison smiled coolly at Lila. “You brought company.”</p><p>“Well, I figured family night was getting a little boring.” Klaus winked at his sister, who was unmistakeably unimpressed and typically unwilling to put up with him.</p><p>Diego was on his feet, looking like he wanted nothing more than to go to Lila but wasn’t quite sure if he was allowed to – whether Lila would allow it. Lila didn’t offer any indication either way. In fact, she’d gone unnaturally still beside Klaus as she took in his family.</p><p>“You didn’t think to maybe let us know beforehand?” Allison reproved, narrowing her eyes at him.</p><p><em>Oh. </em>She was pissed off at him. For not warning them about Lila. Klaus took a moment to digest that before moving on. (It was nothing new.)</p><p>Vanya did not have the same reservations as Diego, instead greeting Lila with a hug. “Glad you could join us,” she offered warmly before slipping her arm through Lila’s to guide her to the couch furthest from Allison. “I <em>love </em>your dress, Klaus,” she commented.</p><p>“<em>Danke.”</em> Klaus bounded over to take the other spot beside Lila before Diego could spend agonising time deliberating whether or not to, sprawling himself over the couch. Lila tilted her head down at him and he was glad to see the flicker of amusement in her face.</p><p>Diego sank into the couch opposite Lila, and there was that same soft grin on his face that he’d had when he’d first spotted Lila at his fight. “Hey.”</p><p>Lila leaned back into the couch and Klaus sat up properly to see how she raised an eyebrow at Diego, a firm smirk on her face. “Miss me?”</p><p>“Of course he did,” Klaus quipped, because the intense way Diego was staring at Lila was clearly unsettling her. “Difficult not to.”</p><p>“Klaus,” Allison interjected. “Could I speak to you in the other room?”</p><p>Klaus wrinkled his nose. “No thanks.”</p><p>“Klaus.”</p><p>“What?” He threw his hands up. “You’re just gonna yell at me for bringing Lila and then Luther will probably jump in – where is the big guy by the way? – but it doesn’t change that she’s here.”</p><p>He’d managed to shock Allison into silence, and she only seemed capable of glowering at him.</p><p>“It’s not his fault, Allison,” Vanya cut in smoothly. “He called to let me know earlier. I forgot to tell you guys.”</p><p>Klaus had done no such thing, but Vanya’s words did the trick. Their family members tended to do whatever it took to avoid seeming angry or upset with Vanya, which she both hated and exploited if needed.</p><p>The anger seemed to seep out of Allison, though the hesitant way she seated herself on the couch indicated that she was ready to quickly move if need be (if Lila attacked her). Lila only grinned lazily at the evident wariness in Allison’s stare.</p><p>“So how have you been, Allison?” Klaus asked pleasantly and Lila’s amusement was almost tangible beside him.</p><p>“Fine,” Allison said shortly.</p><p>“I’m glad you’re here early, Klaus,” Vanya cut in, getting to her feet – always the peacemaker. “We’re nearly done with the renovations – we just needed your help with this last part.”</p><p>The frown on Allison’s face faded to a soft smile and Diego grinned as Vanya slipped out of the room. Klaus shot a puzzled look at Lila, who only shrugged in response, a hand slipping into her pocket where he knew she had a knife.</p><p>Klaus frowned at that, but his attention was quickly diverted by Vanya entering the room. A slow smile spread over his face. “Oh my god, it’s <em>beautiful, </em>Vanya!”</p><p>‘It’ was the biggest rainbow flag Klaus had ever seen, bright and colourful and <em>magnificently</em> gay.</p><p>Vanya laughed. “Well, we thought we’d put it up in the living room, and it didn’t seem right without our favourite pansexual.”</p><p><em>Pansexual, </em>Klaus noted with delight, not <em>gay</em>. Such a small thing, but it meant the world to him. They’d listened. He beamed, jumping to his feet to help Vanya.</p><p>“Diego, you bisexual bastard, come help us!” he demanded, eyes darting to Lila for only a brief moment.</p><p>(He would’ve loved her to help too, but he didn’t know if she was comfortable being out to his family. God knows they hadn’t been the most welcoming so far.)</p><p>Diego rolled his eyes but got to his feet. “Grab the other end.”</p><p>It took some manoeuvring, but Diego and Klaus ended up on the mezzanine above while Vanya floated the flag up to them. Klaus impatiently waited while Diego nailed his side to the wall before haphazardly nailing his own end of the flag.</p><p>(Klaus knew for a fact that the wall they were using had once held a portrait of their father. He sincerely hoped daddy dearest was turning in his grave.)</p><p>“How’s it looking, Lila?” Klaus called down, waving the hammer at her.</p><p>Lila snickered. “It’s not straight.”</p><p>“Perfect!”</p><p>Klaus made his way back down the stairs before stopping to admire the flag. She was right – it was at a very questionable slant. Klaus loved it all the more.</p><p>“It’s beautiful,” Klaus sighed again contently.</p><p>“Oh good, you finally put up the flag.”</p><p>Klaus turned to wave enthusiastically at Luther as he entered the room, wearing his best <em>awkward but supportive</em> smile.</p><p>Luther frowned. “You guys know it’s not straight, right?”</p><p>“Shocker,” Lila deadpanned, and Luther’s attention was immediately on her.</p><p>He took a step forward, slightly in front of Allison. “What are <em>you</em> doing here?”</p><p>Lila smirked up at him, still comfortably reclining on the couch. “I’m Klaus’ guest of honour, haven’t you heard?”</p><p>The room was a little fuller than it had been before. While Allison’s powers often negated the <em>need</em> for killing when they were on missions as kids, Diego and Luther had always had the more violent powers. Between the three of them, and some of Lila’s quieter ghosts that they hadn’t bothered banishing, the room was getting a little cosy.</p><p>“Klaus.” Now Luther was scowling at him. Brilliant. “You can’t just bring the person who tried to kill us around without a warning.”</p><p>“But I-”</p><p>Luther cut him off, stepping closer. “She’s unstable. You’re putting us all in danger.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>But Luther was towering over him <strike>and he was asking him to summon Dad and he was choking him, pressing him against the wall and he couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t fucking breathe-</strike></p><p>“I <em>suggest</em> you back off.”</p><p>Lila was suddenly between them, pushing Klaus firmly behind her. She tilted her head at Luther and Klaus knew the dangerous glint in her eyes and the malicious smirk, as she took on the slightest white glow – Vanya’s powers. A subtle reminder to Luther just what she was.</p><p>Luther opened his mouth but Lila spoke first.</p><p>“You say one more thing to him,” Lila said neutrally, “And I’ll kill you.”</p><p>“You’re only proving his point,” Allison stated, eyes narrowed. Klaus knew there was a rumour on the tip of her tongue, but she was only halted by the memory of how it had gone last time. Diego looked torn, glancing worriedly between Lila and Allison.</p><p>“I’m protecting my friend,” Lila snapped. “And if you were a decent sister, you wouldn’t let that oaf talk to him like that either.”</p><p>Warmth filled Klaus’ chest at that. He’d never… he’d never had someone to stand up for him. Someone that <em>would </em>stand up for him. Lila seemed to have a habit of defying convention.</p><p>Luther stopped trying to look past Lila and instead focused on her. “You nearly killed Allison-”</p><p>“And Five <em>did</em> kill my parents,” Lila interjected smoothly. “I’d say we’re more than even.”</p><p>Lila grabbed Klaus by the hand and in a flash, they were on the couch again. Klaus sat up properly, looking seriously at his siblings.</p><p>“You guys said that there was a place for Lila in our family,” Klaus said seriously. “I need to know if that’s still true. Because otherwise we’re both leaving.”</p><p>Allison sighed, sitting down opposite him. “Of course, it’s still true.” She directly addressed Lila with a smile. “It’s nice to properly meet you. I’m Allison. Diego and Vanya talk about you all the time.”</p><p>Lila nodded at her. “I’m Lila. Sorry for trying to kill you.”</p><p>Klaus winced but Allison only smiled tightly.</p><p>“I’m willing to move past it.”</p><p>Klaus grimaced, but he supposed that was the best he could hope for right now.</p><p>He knew Lila well enough now to recognise the underlying tension she was carrying. Although she was visibly unperturbed, she wasn’t comfortable. The way she was lazing back on the couch in a way that would impede a normal person’s movement if they were attacked was not in fact a disadvantage. It was with the confidence of someone who knew that they could teleport away from harm with a moment’s notice. It was a look that Klaus had seen on Five many times before.</p><p>Speak of the devil, Five teleported into the room. Klaus winced at the immediate increase in volume as Five poured himself another drink by the bar before jumping over to join Allison.</p><p>“She tried to kill anyone yet?” Klaus heard faintly over the ghosts.</p><p>
  <em>Klaus, Lila, Lila, Klaus, Klaus, Lila, Klaus, Lila, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Lila.</em>
</p><p>Instinctively, Klaus glanced at Lila to see her reaction. She’d stilled, that smirk on her face freezing until it was just a hollow attempt at bravado.</p><p>“Fuck this.”</p><p>Lila was gone in a flash of blue light (Luther jerked to his feet and Diego startled forward a step) only to reappear by the bar, holding up a bottle of scotch to the light to examine it before uncorking it.</p><p>“Nope!” Klaus was on his feet and darting forward to snatch the bottle from Lila. “We don’t turn to alcohol for our problems!”</p><p><em>Wow</em>, the tables had turned.</p><p>Lila glared at him. “You can’t seriously expect me to sit there and deal with that racket.”</p><p>Klaus tutted. “Nuh uh uh. If you get to drink your issues away, so do I.”</p><p>He took the few steps to the kitchen sink before emptying the bottle into the drain. Lila, to her credit, let him. “Now give me a minute to actually try and do something about it.”</p><p>He discarded the bottle in the sink and turned to frown at Five’s horde of ghosts. Luckily he’d seen this coming. This is why before they’d left, he’d gotten Lila to work on her ghosts alone, only banishing the loudest, most vicious ones. That left him to tackle Five’s entourage.</p><p>Luckily, he’d had plenty of time to determine the ghosts that would cause the most trouble. He smiled languidly at the sea of ghosts before extending his <strong>GOODBYE </strong>hand. It burned blue as the ghosts began to be dispelled. Klaus didn’t stop, even as his energy drained, until his legs went out from underneath him.</p><p>Lila was there immediately, supporting him for only a moment before she’d teleported them back to the couch. “Are you alright?”</p><p>Klaus blinked away black spots. “Yeahhh,” he sighed, waiting patiently for the world to stop spinning. “Is that any better, Lila?”</p><p>Lila’s slight hesitation spoke volumes and Klaus was immediately fumbling for his pocket and pressing a small knife into her hand. The brief genuine smile Lila offered him was thanks enough.</p><p>“Klaus,” Five began in a carefully measured tone, and he’d all but forgotten that his siblings were still there. “Tell the crazy lady to drop the knife.”</p><p>Klaus frowned. “The crazy lady is her own person who can make her own decisions. I think she should keep the knife.”</p><p>Lila was indeed making the knife do slow figure eights in her lap. Five twitched as a particularly low glide of the blade skimmed past Klaus’ leg. (Klaus wasn’t worried. He trusted Lila.)</p><p>“Klaus.” There it was again. That barely contained frustration and anger that Klaus so often heard directed at him. “It was understood that you would only bring Lila when she was more well-adjusted. Her playing with a <em>knife</em> doesn’t scream <em>well-adjusted</em>.”</p><p>“Sorry,” Lila snapped, clearly pissed. “I’m not a big <em>fan </em>of hearing the screams of all the people <em>you’ve </em>killed.”</p><p>Five went incredibly still, his eyes finding Klaus’, all anger disappearing. “You can see the people I’ve killed?”</p><p>Klaus swallowed. It had never been something he’d brought up – Five’s extensive new horde of ghosts, ever since he’d come back. He knew that his siblings often forgot about his powers, and had hoped Five wouldn’t be the exception. He knew that Five had done some… <em>messed up shit</em> to get back to them. He figured his brother didn’t need the reminder.</p><p>Klaus closed his eyes briefly. “Yes,” he breathed out, and the word was a weight off his shoulders – a burden he hadn’t realised he’d been carrying.</p><p>“Some of them are real bloody,” Lila informed Five bluntly. “Say what you want about me, but I never played with my food.”</p><p>Five flinched at that. The tiniest jerk of the head that was the equivalent of falling out of his chair for Five. “Can you…” his voice was quieter now, less steady. “Can you banish them?”</p><p>“Not permanently,” Klaus answered honestly. “But a few weeks ago, Lila somehow like vaporised a ghost. I think it’s got something to do with Vanya’s powers.”</p><p>“Good.” Five swallowed thickly. “That’s- that’s good. I’m glad.”</p><p>Luckily, at that moment, Grace called them to the dining room for dinner. They all stood to relocate, and Luther was already out of the door when Lila grabbed Diego by the shoulder, turning him before pulling him into a kiss.</p><p>“Gross!” Klaus complained, happily rushing from the room to escape the sight of his brother and one of his closest friends making out.</p><p>Thankfully, only a minute later they were all settled at the table, Lila and Diego only looking slightly more ruffled. Klaus pulled a face at Lila as he passed her the noodles and she pulled one right back, but some of the tension was gone from her shoulders.</p><p>Allison hesitantly broke the ice when they began to tuck into their food. “So, what’s the knife for?” she asked bravely.</p><p>Klaus winced at the question as he shoved a forkful of noodles into his mouth.</p><p>“Klaus’ powers don’t exactly have an off switch,” Lila explained, twirling noodles around her fork. “Since <em>apparently </em>alcohol is off the table for me, the easiest way to get rid of them for me is to activate a different power.”</p><p>“Are they really that bad?” Luther questioned boldly, deliberately not looking at Klaus.</p><p>Klaus rolled his eyes at his pasta. Of course Luther didn’t bother asking <em>him </em>that.</p><p>Lila wrinkled her nose. “You try being followed around by a bunch of bloody corpses screaming your name and tell me if it’s not that bad.”</p><p>The room was silent for a few moments and Klaus looked up in curiosity. Diego and Allison looked taken aback. So did Luther. And there was a new discomfort in Five’s eyes. Part of him wanted to be angry, because <em>of fucking course</em>, after all the times Klaus has talked about the ghosts, <em>all it took </em>was a stranger to convince them they were no fun. But as Diego and Five exchanged a look then seemed to regard Klaus with a newfound grim understanding, he couldn’t find it in himself to get mad.</p><p>Instead, he was hopeful. Maybe, just maybe, this is what they needed to finally comprehend what Klaus’ powers were like.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Five disappeared after dinner. And after ensuring Lila was comfortably between Diego and Vanya, Klaus followed him, letting the howls of the dead guide him.</p><p>Klaus gently pushed the door to Five’s room open, only to find him cursing and he scribbled down new equations on what seemed to be chalkboard paint that must’ve been added when remodelling the house.</p><p>He leaned against the doorframe. “Hey.”</p><p>Five only paused for a moment before continuing his furious scribbling on the walls. “What do you want, Klaus?”</p><p>“You didn’t talk to me or Lila all dinner,” Klaus pointed out. “And you disappeared before Mom could even bring dessert out. It’s some coffee cake shit I <em>know</em> you’d love.”</p><p>“I’m not hungry.”</p><p>Klaus rolled his eyes, taking a few steps into the room to collapse onto Five’s bed. “Look, I know don’t like Lila-”</p><p>“I don’t have a problem with Lila.”</p><p>Klaus snorted at the ceiling. “Yeah, right.”</p><p>Finally, Five turned to face him. His little brother stared at him for a long moment with an unreadable expression before dropping his chalk.</p><p>“Fine. Let’s have this conversation.”</p><p>“What conversation?”</p><p>Five was already teleporting over to the door and swinging it shut, before teleporting into the chair beside the bed. Klaus sat up properly to see him.</p><p>“I don’t have a problem with Lila,” Five stated seriously.</p><p>Klaus scoffed loudly. Five had been pissed at him for <em>weeks</em> ever since he’d taken Lila in.</p><p>“Okay,” Five backtracked. “I don’t like Lila. But my issue isn’t with her. It’s with you.”</p><p>“Me?” Klaus repeated incredulously.</p><p>“Yes, you, you idiot. My <em>problem</em> is that you have <em>no sense of self-preservation</em>.”</p><p>Klaus blinked. “Sorry?”</p><p>“You took in a fucking <em>assassin</em> without telling <em>any of us</em>,” Five stressed. “An assassin who personally tried to kill our family.”</p><p>Klaus was defensive now. “And? You ran the numbers, same as I did. Best case scenario, she and I became friends and she’s on our side now. Which <em>did</em> happen.”</p><p>“And what about the worst case scenario, Klaus?” Five’s voice was low and testing. “What would’ve happened if it went wrong?”</p><p>“Worst case scenario…” Abruptly there was a lump in his throat, and the conclusion that had occurred so easily to him months ago was hard to voice now. “Worst case scenario, she killed me.”</p><p>“Exactly. Your complete lack of regard for your own life let you take in a trained killer with a vendetta against the family.”</p><p>All of a sudden, it was hard to meet Five’s eyes.</p><p>“After Ben died,” Five began softly (which was wrong, all wrong. Five didn’t <em>do</em> soft). “It was like you just stopped caring about anything. It was like I’d lost two brothers, not just one. Nobody could get through to you. I’d hear you talking to Ben all the time, even if he wasn’t there. You always slept in his room instead of yours.”</p><p>“Mine’s full of drugs,” Klaus protested automatically, but weakly, staring stubbornly at the blanket instead of at Five.</p><p>“Yours was the first one we renovated,” Five corrected. “And we cleared it of any drugs the day we got back.”</p><p>Klaus wouldn’t know. He hadn’t so much as glanced in there before settling in Ben’s room.</p><p>“You were always so <em>cold</em> all the time,” his little brother continued, almost distantly. “Always freezing to touch.”</p><p>Because he’d stopped banishing spirits. Because he didn’t care.</p><p>“That’s why I let you leave. I thought that maybe getting out of the Academy, and away from any reminders of Ben would help.” Five scoffed. “And then you took in a fucking serial killer.”</p><p>And then he took in a serial killer.</p><p>“I couldn’t care less about Lila,” Five asserted. “I don’t like her, but if you, Diego and Vanya can trust her, I can tolerate her. But you can’t expect me to just accept your absolute lack of self-preservation.”</p><p>Klaus realised he’d been crying, for how long, he didn’t know. Because Five was right. It was easy to see how <em>empty</em> he’d been. Even if he’d always attempted a good front to his siblings, dealing with anything had just become exhausting. <em><strike>Life</strike></em><strike> had become exhausting.</strike></p><p>“Shit.” Five faltered. “Don’t cry.”</p><p>Klaus managed a laugh through his tears, because after all these years, Five hadn’t gotten any better at consoling someone. Five disappeared for a moment only to return, shoving a box of tissues at him.</p><p>Klaus accepted it, wiping at his tears before blowing his nose. He took a few moments to compose himself.</p><p>“I’m doing better now,” he said quietly, and extended an arm toward Five. He let his little brother gingerly touch it, let him feel the warmth to his skin.</p><p>“Lila helped,” Klaus admitted softly, allowing Five to take his time to reassure himself. “Having her around helped. She gave me a sense of purpose again.”</p><p>A hopeful note to his voice. “You’re doing better?”</p><p>“Much,” Klaus promised him.</p><p>“Okay,” Five breathed out, and all the tension seemed to seep out of him. He sat down heavily beside Klaus and didn’t protest when Klaus slung his arm around his shoulders (which, for Five, was basically a love language).</p><p>“We should probably go downstairs,” Five said after a while.</p><p>Klaus shushed him. “You’re ruining the moment.”</p><p>So they stayed a little longer.</p><p>When they went back downstairs, Klaus found that Lila and Diego had disappeared, probably to Diego’s place. <em>So much for taking it slow</em>, he joked to Vanya.</p><p>He stayed for hours later. He poked fun at Luther and regaled Allison with a story about him, Vanya and Lila trying to make omelettes. When Allison enquired about where he’d gotten his dress, he explained that his friend Sasha had found it, and when Vanya launched into a lengthy description of them, he tried not to giggle. (And if he found Five watching him with a relieved smile, he didn’t say anything.)</p><p>When Vanya drove him back to the apartment, Lila wasn’t there. He waited up a little longer, but didn’t expect her to return. This time, he accepted it. He banished the remaining few spirits in the room and nestled himself under the blankets to sleep.</p><p>Lila had Diego now. She didn’t need him anymore. But Klaus was sure he could always visit if he wanted. That would be enough.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not sure how I felt about this chapter /:</p><p>Last chapter is next ):<br/>Time to get a move on with writing my next story. </p><p>Leave a comment or kudos!</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is honestly more of an epilogue than a chapter oops.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Klaus awoke to the sound of pans clattering. He groaned, pulling the pillow over his head before he froze. Distantly, there was the sound of cursing, in a very familiar voice.</p><p>Hesitantly, Klaus swung his legs over the bed. He let uncertain steps carry him toward the door and to the kitchen, where Lila was swearing at a recipe. He stared at her in open disbelief, taking in the tracksuit pants and top that must’ve belonged to Diego, based on how it hung off her shoulders. Her hair was a dishevelled mess as she looked up at him.</p><p>“Oh, good, you’re awake.” Lila shoved a carton of eggs at him. “Vanya’s recipe makes no sense. You’re cooking.”</p><p>Klaus was still speechless.</p><p>“Why are you looking at me like that?”</p><p>Klaus forced himself out of his stupor, and couldn’t help the automatic grin. “You’re here.”</p><p>Lila tilted her head at him. “Duh. Where else would I be?”</p><p>“I just thought – since you and Diego are talking again, you’d be…”</p><p>“Did you think I’d fucking move in with him?” Lila interrupted incredulously.</p><p>“Well…”</p><p>“Klaus, he lives in a fucking boiler room. In the basement of a boxing gym.”</p><p>“I know, I just figured…”</p><p>“Wait.” Lila’s voice softened. “You still want me to live here, right? I can find somewhere else-”</p><p>“Of course I do!” Klaus cut in.</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“Yes!”</p><p>Lila grinned at him. “You need to buy a bed.”</p><p>Klaus faltered. “What?”</p><p>Lila only smiled more broadly. “A bed. I’m sick of sleeping on the couch.”</p><p>Klaus was starting to smile too now.</p><p>“We also need to redecorate your apartment,” Lila informed him. “It’s boring. And after seeing your house, I think a few pride flags is the absolute minimum.”</p><p>Klaus smirked at her. “I can think of no better purpose for dear old dad’s money.”</p><p>Lila nodded. “And that. I want to pay rent.”</p><p>Klaus did frown at that. “Lila, we bought the apartment. There’s no rent to pay.”</p><p>“I’m not just going to live off you.” Lila rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll pay for my stuff then. And we can split on the groceries.”</p><p>It sounded like Lila had put a lot of thought into this.</p><p>“You know,” Klaus drawled. “I’m pretty sure Carla is looking for a new employee.”</p><p>“You want me to work at a fucking coffee shop?”</p><p>“Five would <em>hate</em> it.”</p><p>“Fine.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Do you think this’ll go with the new couch?” Klaus held up the bright turquoise sequinned cushion for approval.</p><p>Sasha shrugged. “Do you really care?”</p><p>“Excellent point.” Klaus dropped the cushion in the trolley. “The aim is to make daddy dearest roll over in his grave from how I’m spending his money.”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan.” Lila shrugged and tossed the hot pink sequinned cushion into the trolley too.</p><p>“I like the way you think,” Klaus said, pointing at her.</p><p>“There are stuffed animals in the next aisle,” Sasha suggested.</p><p>“Fuck yeah!” Klaus grinned, bounding toward the next aisle.</p><p>“It’s this button here for the iced coffee. It should only take like a minute. And if they want whipped cream, it’s this button.”</p><p>Lila nodded attentively and Klaus stepped back to let her make the drink. She followed his instructions to the letter, and began adding the whipped cream when Klaus heard a familiar exchange.</p><p>“Hi, how can I help you?”</p><p>“Fuck off. Where’s Klaus?”</p><p>“Is there anything I can get you?” Sasha persisted, laughter in their voice. “Would you like a drink?”</p><p>“I think we’ve established that I’m never trusting you with my drink again,” Five replied shortly. “Klaus can do it.”</p><p>Klaus nudged Lila to take over from Sasha while he finished up the iced coffee.</p><p>“Hi,” Lila said pleasantly. “How can I help you?”</p><p>There was a brief pause and Klaus looked up to see Five staring at Lila with an unreadable expression.</p><p>“You have got to be fucking kidding me.”</p><p>Five teleported away, in broad daylight, in the middle of the coffee shop, without another second’s hesitation, and Sasha and Lila both immediately burst into laughter.</p><p>Klaus couldn’t keep the grin off his face either as he handed the iced coffee off to a customer.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“You’re donating this?”</p><p>Klaus stuck his head through the door at Diego’s protest. “Sorry, are we paying you for your opinions or your muscles?”</p><p>Diego looked down incredulously at the blender in his arms then back up at Klaus, and then to Lila, as if hoping for some reason. “It’s a perfectly good blender. What if you want to make a smoothie or something?”</p><p>Lila folded her arms. “Smoothies are disgusting. It was either donate it or throw it out. Be glad I talked Klaus out of throwing it.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“They’re not going to use it, Diego,” Vanya countered quietly, entering the kitchen to drop a box off. “Klaus, if you get rid of that KitchenAid, I won’t ever forgive you.”</p><p>“Yes ma’am.” Klaus saluted her before ducking out of the kitchen again to return to remodelling the living room.</p><p>“Why does he listen to you and not me?” Diego complained from kitchen.</p><p>There was the sound of Lila laughing. “C’mon handsome, get moving. Like Klaus said, we’re not paying you for your opinions.”</p><p>“You’re not paying me at all.”</p><p>Klaus cheerily waved at Diego as he carried the blender out of the apartment, not paying any notice to the withering scowl he was given in return.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Hey Van,” Klaus greeted as his sister entered the coffee shop, pushing back her hood and freeing her plait.</p><p>“Hey,” Vanya smiled at him a little uncertainly. “Is-?”</p><p>Klaus stumbled a step as Sasha smoothly shouldered him out of the way, taking his place at the register. They smirked at Vanya over the counter.</p><p>“Hey gorgeous. What can I get you?”</p><p>Vanya blushed, ducking her head shyly, but her smile widened. “Any suggestions?”</p><p>“Hmm,” Sasha seemed to ponder for a moment. “I think you’d like the hazelnut latte.”</p><p>“That then.”</p><p>Vanya made to get out her purse, but Sasha waved her off, offering her a wink.</p><p>“My treat.”</p><p>Sasha disappeared to go make Vanya’s drink and Klaus blinked wide-eyed at Vanya.</p><p>“Wow,” he said, still trying to process. “So, that’s a thing.”</p><p>A nervous smile curved Vanya’s lips. “Yeah. Are you mad?”</p><p>“Of course not!” Klaus reassured. “As long as you feel ready. How long has this been going on?”</p><p>Vanya beamed. “I asked them out last week for a movie, and it went well. We have another date tomorrow.”</p><p>Klaus couldn’t help his own smile. “That’s fantastic! You <em>need</em> to tell me all the details later. Did you want to buy a brownie or something?”</p><p>Vanya selected a piece of caramel slice and Klaus swiftly packaged it before heading over to deposit it at the pick-up counter. He paused for a moment to watch Sasha as they carefully dusted a cocoa heart onto Vanya’s drink.</p><p>“You,” he started accusingly, “have <em>so</em> much to tell me.”</p><p>Sasha only smirked as they finished the heart.</p><p>Klaus shook his head with a laugh, turning to wipe down the bench. “Just please, <em>please</em> let me be there when you tell Five. He’s gonna flip his shit.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Klaus leaned into Lila as she flung as arm over his shoulders, both of them admiring their hard work.</p><p>The living room, as best described by Sasha, looked as if a rainbow had thrown up all over it.</p><p>Somehow, the most normal part was the two flags hung over the mantlepiece, in the place of whatever boring painting Allison had chosen last time. A bisexual pride flag, once Lila had assured Klaus she had no problem being out to his siblings, and a pansexual flag (one that was identical, Klaus had come to realise, to the one that his siblings had hung up in Klaus’ room at the Academy at some point).</p><p>Elsewise, Klaus had decided to keep the white couches Allison had picked out, but got rid of the stylish, minimalistic cushions she’d selected, choosing to instead flood it with bright and colourful cushions, as well as a small stuffed orange octopus with bright blue eyes. Lila and Klaus had also taken time to choose the fluffiest and warmest blankets possible to deal with an ever-present cold, which were draped over the arms of the couches.</p><p>The black coffee table had been replaced with a slightly larger coffee table that looked almost like a jigsaw puzzle of colours, and sat on a bright red rug. (Lila cheerfully commented on how it would be good for covering up blood. Luther, responsible for carrying in the new coffee table gave her an overly wary look, slowly glancing between her and Klaus, and then insisted on staying for the rest of the evening.)</p><p>The rest of the apartment was in a similar state. Klaus had taken great pleasure in clearing many of the deemed unnecessary appliances from the kitchen, only keeping what Vanya insisted they would need. Currently in their place were the flowers Allison had delivered to them, as a kind of housewarming gift.</p><p>Klaus’ room was painted white at Vanya’s suggestion, instead of the previous soft brown. It made the room feel bigger, and fairy lights lined the corners, to be kept on at night. That way, when he woke up from nightmares of the mausoleum, he didn’t feel as trapped. He’d also added another closet and colourful paintings decorated the walls.</p><p>He’d, understandably, had less say on Lila’s room.</p><p>She’d gotten a king bed (which had brought on a long conversation about rules regarding Diego staying over – primarily, let Klaus fucking know so he can <em>not</em> be there). She’d never had the freedom to decorate her own room before, so wasn’t really sure about what to do. Vanya, Sasha and he did their best to help her. A comfortable wicker chair went in the corner and music-themed paintings on the wall. Upon the realisation that Lila played piano, the best keyboard money could buy sat against the wall opposite her bed. Klaus was delighted when Lila was happy with the final product.</p><p>“We did good,” Klaus commented, smiling at the living room.</p><p>“Damn right,” Lila agreed.</p><p><em>This is it</em>, he decided. Finally, he – they – would be able to heal. To move forward.</p><p>Klaus could almost see the future laying before him. It was cooking dinner with Vanya and Lila. It was teasing Sasha about dating his little sister. It was annoying Diego on the mornings after he stayed over, and it was family nights at the Umbrella Academy with all his family – Vanya, Diego, Luther, Five, Allison, Lila and Sasha too, when Vanya introduced them to the family.</p><p>He couldn’t wait.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, that's a wrap. </p><p>I'm well-aware that this isn't my best work, and it means all that more that so many of you still read and left kudos and comments. Thank you all so so much!</p><p>The next story I'm working on is intended to be more along the lines of Sins of the Father, if you've read my other story - less healing, more angst, more suspense. However, as I'm already struggling to balance work and school and this story that I've only just started is planned to be in the 20,000-30,000 word count range, it might take a while. I'll probably post a few one-shots in between. </p><p>If any of that interests you, please subscribe and I'll see you there (:</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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